The media has always had the power to shape public opinion and influence policy, especially during times of conflict. But can the media actually start a war? The Spanish-American War (1898) gives students the chance to dig into this question by examining newspaper articles, political cartoons, and songs from the time leading up to the U.S. decision to go to war. Students will analyze how exaggerated and emotional reporting—known as yellow journalism—helped build support for U.S. intervention in Cuba and decide for themselves how much influence the media had in pushing the country into war.
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About the inquiry
Compelling Question
Can the media start a war?
Standards
D2.His.16.9-12. Integrate evidence from multiple relevant historical sources and interpretations into a reasoned argument about the past.
Instructional Snapshot
Begin class with a group discussion where students take a close look at a newspaper article about the events leading up to the Spanish-American War. Together, they’ll break down its bold layouts, dramatic images, sensational headlines, and exaggerated storytelling to develop a working definition of yellow journalism (8-10 minutes). Next, students will split into expert jigsaw pairs to analyze a primary source—such as a newspaper article, political cartoon, or song—that reflects or responds to yellow journalism. Each pair will explore the story their source tells and consider how it may have shaped public opinion about Spain and fueled support for war (10 minutes). Afterward, pairs will join larger groups to share their insights, compare their sources, and make connections between them (10 minutes). Finally, students will decide where they stand on the question, Did the media cause the Spanish-American War? by physically moving to the part of the room that represents their opinion: yes, no, or partly. Each group will then work together to craft a claim backed by evidence and reasoning from the sources they’ve studied (10-15 minutes).
Formative Tasks
DELIBERATE: Engage in a whole-class discussion to develop a definition of “yellow journalism” by analyzing key elements in a historical example.
COLLABORATE: Work with a partner to identify sensationalized messages about Spain in American media and discuss how these messages may have influenced public opinion.
PRODUCE: Develop and support a claim about the media’s influence on the outbreak of the Spanish-American War using evidence from primary sources.
Sources
Spanish-American War Source Set, Library of Congress
Summative Performance Task
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Taking Informed Action
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