Final answer:
Newspapers during the Revolutionary War period primarily aided in uniting the colonists and were not typically engaged in the dissemination of fake news, instead transitioning to party propaganda as political parties gained influence post-war.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Revolutionary War period, newspapers played a crucial role in the dissemination of information. They were instrumental in uniting the colonists and providing necessary information about British actions and policies. This unity was essential in maintaining colonial resistance and was reflected in the inhibition of largely fake news or sensationalized stories at the time, which is more commonly associated with Yellow Journalism emerging during later periods.
While newspapers certainly had a unifying agenda, they also began to pivot towards political propaganda as political parties, following the end of the war, started to financially support newspapers that endorsed their values and attacked opposition. This was evident in the party press era, where partisanship and political party loyalty largely governed the press coverage.