USA HISTORY

AMERICAN IMPERIALISM(1890 1919)

THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR

[SOURCES]
What event in U.S. history is synonymous with William Randolph Hearst and Yellow Journalism?

(A) ** The Spanish-American War

(B) The Civil War

(C) The New York Mafia Wars

(D) World War I

EXPLANATIONS BELOW

Concept note-1: -But it was the sinking of the battleship Maine in Havana Harbor that gave Hearst his big story–war. After the sinking of the Maine, the Hearst newspapers, with no evidence, unequivocally blamed the Spanish, and soon U.S. public opinion demanded intervention.

Concept note-2: -The dramatic style of yellow journalism contributed to creating public support for the Spanish-American War, a war that would ultimately expand the global reach of the United States.

Concept note-3: -Hearst played a huge part in arousing the public’s intention to go to war with Spain. This activity reached its zenith after several years of articles concerning the situation in Cuba, Hearst ran a series of articles blaming the Spanish for the sinking of the MAINE with a mine.

Concept note-4: -The Spanish-American War, while dominating the media, also fueled the United States’ first media wars in the era of yellow journalism. Newspapers at the time screamed outrage, with headlines including, “Who Destroyed the Maine? $50, 000 Reward, ” “Spanish Treachery” and “Invasion!”

Concept note-5: -Led by newspaper owners William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, journalism of the 1890s used melodrama, romance, and hyperbole to sell millions of newspapers–a style that became known as yellow journalism.