A look at the Spanish American War, focusing on "yellow journalism" and very little on the actual fighting of the war.

1. DO NOW: Take 5 minutes and write
answers to these questions:
1. How do the headlines below differ?
2. Consider the wording and how a reader
might respond to each article.
SEARCH FOR MISSING BRIDE
CONTINUES
BRIDE MISSING! GROOM’S FAMILY
BLAME HISTORY OF MENTAL
ILLNESS

3. Wrong place, wrong time

4. Wrong place, wrong time
• On February 15, 1898, an
explosion on board the Maine
killed 266 of the 350 men on
board.
• There is some question as to
what really happened to the
Maine.

5. Wrong place, wrong time

6. Wrong place, wrong time
• The Spanish claimed that the
explosion happened on board
the Maine itself, which may be
true given that Spain certainly
did not want war with the
United States.

7. Wrong place, wrong time
• Maybe Cuban rebels blew it up
knowing that Spain would be
blamed and the US would help
their cause for independence.
• Whatever really happened is
not important.

12. • Hearst even went so far as to
tell a cartoonist in Cuba to
cover the revolution “You
furnish the pictures and I’ll
furnish the war.”