4
AssignmentMultiple Choice

Expanding Borders

Question 4 • MO-US History II A

Which of these statements is the best historical conclusion about the cause of the sinking of USS Maine?

Answer
A
The sinking definitely began with the explosion of a Spanish mine.
B
The sinking definitely began with a mine explosion, but experts are undecided about who was responsible.
C
The explosion was caused by a coal fire onboard USS Maine, and no mine was present.
D
Experts cannot definitively say what the cause of the explosion was.

Explanation

Investigations of the USS Maine sinking reached different conclusions, and later analysis has not established a definitive cause. Some investigators blamed an external mine, while others proposed an internal coal-fire explosion. Therefore, the best historical conclusion is that experts cannot definitively say what caused the explosion.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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