Spanish American War and Yellow Journalism:

Essential Question for the day: Why did the United States go to war against Spain in 1898, and why was the outcome significant?

Standard 11.4.2 Describe the Spanish-American War and U.S. expansion in the South Pacific.

HOT ROC—10/10/08

Create an analogy Neutrality is to walking away from a fight as

_____________ is to _________________ Relationship: _________________________

New vocab:

Unilateralism

Intro

Think about the bully story… How could you make the situation grow or get

worse in some way? Brainstorm Pair Share Why would you do this?

Trouble Brewing in Cuba

By the end of the 1800s, Spain had lost all of its New World colonies except Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Cubans struggled for independence

U.S. had millions in Cuban investments

Yellow Journalism Mass media:

Newspapers, magazines, and other methods of communicating to a mass audience

Joseph Pulitzer—New York World

William Randolph Hearst—The New York Journal

Battled over circulation Sensational headlines

—stretched the truth

Newspapers: War promoters? When a war correspondent

telegraphed from Cuba that no war was imminent, Hearst is said to have telegraphed him back with this message:

“Please remain. You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war.”

William Randolph Hearst—owned The New York Journal and the San Francisco Examiner

Remember the Maine!

USS Maine sinks in Havana harbor after an explosion

Newspapers blame Spain Later it is found that a

coal bin exploded inside the ship

Activity

Using your notes or textbook, create a yellow journalism headline or image representing the beginning of the Spanish-American War

259-267

Does the media shape U.S. foreign policy today? How? Pair share

Imperialism

a policy of extending your rule over foreign countries

The Maine Incident

February 15, 1898 Pressure on McKinley to

declare war April 25, 1898—Congress

declared war

Battles of the Spanish American War, 1898 Philippines—U.S.

victory Cuba—Teddy

Roosevelt led the Rough Riders

U.S. captured Puerto Rico

4 month war: “splendid little war”

Treaty of Paris—what to do with the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Cuba?

Choose 1 of the following prompts to write a paragraph. Include at least 1 foreign policy term and 1 ideal. Identify how the Spanish American war

changed U.S. foreign policy. Discuss the pro and con positions on ratifying

the Treaty of Paris. Were the actions of the United States in the

Spanish American war and Treaty of Paris justified?