Yellow Journalism
• Journalism that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates the
news to attract readers.
• Includes little or no legitimate facts; instead, uses
eye-catching headlines to sell more newspapers.
• Techniques may include exaggerations of news
events, scandal-mongering, or sensationalism
22-2
The Spanish American War
I. War With Spain
• Late 1890s: NY
newspapers were
publishing sensational
stories about events in
Cuba
• William Randolph Hearst
&. Joseph Pulitzer
competed for readers with
yellow journalism
• Cuba was a Spanish
colony, and Cuban
rebels were fighting
for their
independence, and
were being treated
harshly
• Many Americans
supported U.S.
military intervention
to help the Cubans
• A new president,
William McKinley,
was elected in 1896
• McKinley was a
supporter of Cuban
independence
(although hoped to
achieve this peacefully)
Events that led to the outbreak of
war:
• Enrique DeLome
(Spanish Minister to
the US) wrote a letter
containing insults
about President
McKinley
• The letter was
published in Hearst’s
newspaper
• USS Maine (battleship) was
in Cuba to protect U.S.
citizens and businesses
• The ship exploded in Feb.
1898, killing 266 men
• The newspapers published
stories blaming Spain
• Americans were outraged
over DeLome’s letter and
the Maine explosion
• VIDEO CLIP: YJ
• Congress passed a resolution declaring Cuba as
independent and demanding the Spain leave the
island
• This resolution included the Teller Amendment:
stated that the U.S. didn't want to control Cuba
• War was then declared: First by Spain, then by the
U.S. (April, 1898)
History’s Verdict on the Maine
A. War in the Philippines
• As the Spanish-American War began, the U.S.
fought against the Spanish in their colonies of Cuba
and the Philippines.
• A U.S Naval fleet under the command of
Commodore George Dewey defeated the Spanish
fleet in Manila Bay, Philippines.
• With the help of Filipino rebels, U.S. troops were
able to gain control of Manila (the capital of the
Philippines)
B. War in the Caribbean
• U.S. Army that went to
Cuba was poorly trained
and poorly equipped
• The soldiers faced horrible
living conditions and
battled disease
Rough Riders
• Organized and led
by Theodore
Roosevelt
• Fought in Cuba, and
were hailed as heroes
• Most famous victory:
Capture of San Juan
Hill
African American Troops in Cuba
• Just as Spain was preparing to sign a cease fire to
end the war, the U.S. seized the Spanish colony of
Puerto Rico
• War ends August, 1898 (about 4 months after it
began)
II. United States Gains Territories
• The former Spanish
colonies of Cuba,
Guam, Puerto Rico, &
the Philippines are put
under U.S. control
• Anti-Imperialist League:
opposed the U.S.
creating a colonial
empire
A. Cuba
• Despite the Teller Amendment, the U.S. set up a
military gov’t in Cuba
• The new gov’t wrote a Constitution which included
the Platt Amendment: Gave the U.S. the right
to intervene in Cuban affairs & the right to
buy or lease land. Also, Cuba’s power to
make treaties was limited.
B. Puerto Rico
• Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory
C. The Philippines
• The Filipino rebels, who
helped the U.S. to defeat
Spain, thought they would
be granted independence
• However, the U.S.
recognized the military
and economic value of the
Philippines, so decided to
annex it as a colony
• The Filipinos fought back
in a brutal guerrilla war,
but U.S. was victorious