Yellow Journalism Past

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Yellow JournalismPast Present

• Yellow Journalism A form of reporting that
  relied on sensational stories or headlines that
  were often exaggerated or untrue. Meant to catch
  readers attention and influence them in a certain
  way. (tabloids)

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What is this magazine trying to portray?
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What is this cover story attempting to influence?
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Rise of Yellow Journalism in the US

• In 1898, the Spanish American War was on the
  horizon. The US was in the process of extending
  its imperialistic ways into the areas of the
  Caribbean.
• Already energized by its successes in obtaining
  Alaska, and numerous islands in the Pacific, the
  US began to set it sights on the Spanish held
  island 90 miles off the coast of Florida called
  Cuba.

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• Cuba was in the midst of a revolution against its
  mother country of Spain. According to
  newspapers, mass atrocities and cruelty was being
  exerted on the Cuban people by the Spanish and
  many Americans urged President McKinley to step
  in and help them.

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Cuba is a ripe apple that one day will be torn
from its Native tree and fall into the hands of
the US-John Quincy Adams

• The US had long wanted Cuba and this revolution
  was an opportunity.
• The US hesitated but did see this revolution as a
  chance to expand its influence in the Caribbean.

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• At this point the Spanish Empire had already
  shrunk to two islands in the Western Hemisphere.
  They simply held Cuba Puerto Rico.
• Jose Marti was the Cuban rebel who fought for
  their independence.

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Spanish Cuban Fighting

• Jose Marti spoke of Spanish brutality in his
  newspaper called Patria. It aroused American
  sympathies.
• Marti was killed in battle but his rebel forced
  fought on and burned sugarcane farms government
  buildings to disable the Spanish forces. In
  addition they destroyed rail lines. The rebels
  wanted to make the island less profitable so the
  Spanish would desert it.
• In response, the Spanish began their
  Reconcentration campaign.
• According to this campaign they captured and
  moved over a half million rebels to detention
  camps where many died from starvation and
  disease.

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US Reaction to Spanish Brutality

• Many Americans were shocked by the brutal and
  cruel actions of the Spanish. They felt it was
  their obligation to help end the injustices.
• Others too were concerned about the economic
  impact on the US. They were afraid they would
  lose money and valuable foreign trade due to the
  war. The US traded over 100 million a year with
  Cuba and invested in many of their industries
  including
• Sugar cane Rice Plantations
• Railroads
• Tobacco
• Iron Mines

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US Supports the Rebels

• They have risen against oppression, compared to
  which the oppression which led us to rebel
  against England is as dust in the balance and
  they feel that for this reason, if no other, they
  should have the sympathy of the people of the
  United States.
• -Senator Henry Cabot Lodge
• 1896

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Yellow Journalism

• To attract readers and supporters to the cause of
  fighting with Cuba, many journalists/reporters
  conjured up exaggerated stories, headlines, and
  images to influence the American people into
  supporting it.

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• The US supported Cuba but did not yet fully
  engage in physical combat. One reporter
  photographer who journeyed to Cuba for the story
  said there is no war to his publisher William
  Randolph Hearst. There was not much fighting or
  suffering to capture. Hearst responded in an
  encouragement to the use of yellow journalism
• You supply the picturesIll supply the war
• What did Hearst mean by this????

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• Hand to hand combat by US soldiers was avoided by
  President McKinley as long as he could. But one
  February night fighting broke out in the capital
  cities Havana Harbor.
• The US sent a battle ship The Maine there to
  protect US property and civilians.
• Unexpectedly the ship exploded and killed at
  least 260 of the 350 American sailors on board.
• The press exclaimed that the Spanish planted a
  bomb and outrageous headlines filled the yellow
  papers.

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Headlines

• Remember the Maine!! Fight Back!
• The Maine was the Work of the Enemy!
• The Warship the Main Split in Two by Enemy
  Secret Internal Machine!
• Spanish Bombs Leave Hundreds of Americans Dead
  or Fighting for Lives!

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• Normally headlines like these may not seem so
  outrageous, BUT no proof of Spanish involvement
  or true reason was ever discovered as the root
  cause of the explosion.
• Many jumped to conclusions.
• Today it is believed The Maine may have blown up
  do to a boiler defect.
• Regardless, McKinley declared war on Spain on
  April 25, 1898.

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You are the JournalistHow would you produce
this story?

• Follow the activity in the assignment provided by
  your teacher to create your own TIME magazine
  cover and Yellow Journalism article describing
  the US involvement in the Cuban revolution or the
  Destruction of The Maine.
• You may take a Spanish or an American
  perspective. DEADLINE IS TOMORROW!!!!