USA HISTORY

____ is using “facts” that are not necessarily true in order to sell newspapers. It is one of the reasons we became involved in the Spanish American War and World War I.

(A) Blue journalism

(B) ** Yellow journalism

(C) Green journalism

(D) Red journalism

Concept note-1: -By early May, the Spanish-American War had begun. The rise of yellow journalism helped to create a climate conducive to the outbreak of international conflict and the expansion of U.S. influence overseas, but it did not by itself cause the war.

Concept note-2: -Joseph Pulitzer fought for readership with his nemesis, William Randolph Hearst, in the mid-1890s. Both crossed the line into “yellow journalism” during the Spanish-American War.

Concept note-3: -Yellow journalism contributed to the U.S. declaring war by using “sensational stories that tugged at readers’ heartstrings to sell papers.” These papers blamed Spain for the sinking of the ship, even though they had no evidence to prove it. Spain declared war on April 24, 1898 and the U.S. declared war the next day.