To what extent was the yellow press evidently involved in the Spanish
American War?
Rebecca Hirsch Molina
Historical Investigation
Supervisor: Mrs. Mills
11 May 2011
Word Count- 1802
Index
Plan of Investigation……………………………………………….pg3
Summary of Evidence……………………………………………..pg4-7
Evaluation of Sources…………………………………………….pg8-9
Analysis………………………………………………………………..pg10-11
Conclusion…………………………………………………………….pg12
Work Cited…………………………………………………………….pg13
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A. Plan of Investigation
To what extent was the yellow press evidently involved in the Spanish
American War?
The Spanish American War for many was a war furnished by sensationalized
headlines though some believe it was a gross misinterpretation of facts. It was
certainly a combination of both, the influence the yellow press held over society and
the political stress it created were of great contribution to American intervention.
This controversy of opinion caught my attention and pressed me into analyzing
yellow journalism during the Spanish American War. The aim of this investigation
is to reveal the reality of the yellow press and analyze to what extent it influenced
the course of the war. This should address the effect sensationalized headlines took
on politics and society. Much of the research will be focused on primary sources and
it’s analysis extracted from reliable websites focusing on different perspectives of
the yellow press and its influence during the Spanish American War.
Word Count-147
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B. Summary of Evidence
Source: "Crucible Of Empire : The Spanish-American War - PBS Online." PBS:
Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 31 Jan. 2011.
<http://www.pbs.org/crucible/frames/_journalism.html>.
The Spanish-American war is commonly referred to as the first media published war
purpose of this article is to prove this statement trough sensationalist arguments.

During the 1890s journalism sometimes even manufactured—dramatic events was
a powerful force that helped propel the United States into war with Spain.

The term yellow journalism came from a popular New York World comic called
"Hogan's Alley," which featured a yellow-dressed character named the "the
yellow kid."

Determined to compete with Pulitzer's World in every way, rival New York
Journal owner William Randolph Hearst copied Pulitzer's sensationalist style and
even hired "Hogan's Alley" artist R.F.

Soon, the sensationalist press of the 1890s became a competition between the
"yellow kids," and the journalistic style was coined "yellow journalism."

Yellow journals like relied on sensationalist headlines to sell newspapers.

William Randolph Hearst understood that a war with Cuba would not only sell his
papers, but also move him into a position of national prominence.

From Cuba, Hearst's star reporters wrote stories designed to tug at the heartstrings
of Americans.
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
Horrific tales described the situation in Cuba--female prisoners, executions,
valiant rebels fighting, and starving women and children figured in many of the
stories that filled the newspapers.

It was the sinking of the battleship Maine in Havana Harbor that gave Hearst his
big story--war.

After the sinking of the Maine, the Hearst newspapers, with no evidence,
unequivocally blamed the Spanish, and soon U.S. public opinion demanded
intervention.
Source: "The Spanish-American War: American Wars and the Media in Primary
Documents - Introduction." Web. 31 Jan. 2011.
<http://academic2.american.edu/~wjc/spanish11.htm>.
The reliable origin of the article Beyond Yellow Journalism written by a PHD professor
Joseph Campbell and extracted from primary sources serves as undisputable information
concerning yellow journalism during the Spanish-American War.

Study addresses much more than the successes and excesses of yellow journalism.
Contains news reports and editorial commentary that were published in a variety
of American newspapers, trade journals, and public affairs magazines, including
that seldom are cited in studies of the press and Spanish-American War.

Because journalists were so conspicuous in the Spanish-American War—and
because the overall significance of their work has been so poorly understood—
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chapters consider the conflict from the vantage point of war correspondents and
controversies that engulfed the press.

Vantage point of journalists and their work helps to capture the vigorous
competition that were so characteristic of the American press at the end of the
nineteenth century.

The letter’s contents, which were first reported by Hearst’s New York Journal,
suggested Spain’s hypocrisy in proposing a treaty on trading relations with the
United States. Insulting the American head of state was a stunning faux pas and
Dupuy de Lôme’s assignment to Washington became immediately untenable. He
resigned before the United States could demand that Madrid bring him home.

“discovery, popular education, free thought and business enterprise are all factors
in the change.”- David A. Curtis

Curtis’ suggests the sense of change that buffeted and challenged Americans at
the end of the nineteenth century.
Source- YouTube - Hearst and the Spanish American War. YouTube - Broadcast
Yourself. Web. 17 Mar. 2011.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abzd41k_OhQ>.
The video provides value due to the fact it presents a counterexample to the common
conception that yellow journalism caused the Spanish-American war

Video provides background information general idea that Hearst wanted
America to enter war so his’ newspapers would circulate more.
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
Explains how Spain was in possession of Cuba and encountered money
problems and was squeezing money out of Cuba.

Hearst sympathized philosophically with Cuban people and supported them
since the beginning.

Explains concentration camps in Cuba and starvation problems, explains how
this angered Hearst and how he was beating the drum for America to step in.

Most heroic things a newspaper has ever done: encouraged government to
step in.

Hearst portrayed as monster in history.

The video offers two points of view at the beginning when narrating the
Words-600
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C. Evaluation of Sources
Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas Andrew Bailey. The American
Pageant a History of the Republic. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Print.
The history book American Pageant strongly suggests the ostensibly strong effect
of yellow journalism in The Spanish-American War. Three publicly recognized historians
provide the origin of this book: Thomas A. Bailey, David M. Kennedy a graduate of
Stanford University and Lizabeth Cohen a graduate of Harvard University. The purpose
of this book is to serve as a wealth and source of information for history students in
school. The authors narrated the path of empire in America and incorporated its
imperialist stirrings in the Spanish American-War. The book is of great value to the
investigation and addresses the strong influence yellow journalism had in American
society and the tragic climax experienced after the mystery of the Maine explosion. Even
though the book furnished a great deal of information a big limitation is the bias
presentation and broad information “various theories have been advanced…the least
convincing explanation of all is’. The source only presents one point of view and mostly
portrays the fury of the yellow press, while probably leaving gaps and errors due to the
lack of expertise in this specific topic from the authors. The bias perception of the source
supports my investigation and the impact of yellow journalism.
8
"Crucible of Empire - PBS Online." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 15 Feb.
2011.
The political cartoon sends a pro-message war in America. The article Crucible of
Empire in PBS online provides the origin of the political cartoon. PBS online is the
public broadcasting service and presented the cartoon with an unknown author. The
purpose of the article was to demonstrate how political cartoons played a key role in the
Spanish-American era and depicted “Spain as evil, Cuba as innocent, and McKinley as a
coward’. The political cartoon attributes a great value to the research and demonstrates
how cartoons simplified the pro-war feeling yellow journalism spread. The source
limitation is it’s narrow perspective on Butcher Weyler, which is portrayed in a jail
uniform and characterized as a butcher responsible for the concentration camps. Another
big restraint is the exaggeration and comic effect applied to the cartoon, which portrays
Wyler as brutal murder. The cartoon reflects the sensationalist news and hate towards
Spain extended during the war.
Words-351
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D. Analysis
One of the biggest difficulties encountered when making an objective analysis on
Yellow Journalism and it’s impact in the Spanish American War is the reliability and
limitations on primary sources and analysis on articles dealing with the subject such as
American Wars and the Media in Primary Documents or PBS which even though contain
reliable information it may have been skewed by American sentiment or the original
position of the author. This position is open to interpretation and may affect the judgment
of this study.
There is no doubt that yellow journalism and sensationalized headlines may be
responsible for dramatic events that helped propel the U.S into war with Spain. I believe
Hearst ad Pulitzer strong desire and fury to build news in order to sell there newspapers
in a time of economical crisis was a crucial factor that should be taken in consideration at
the time of the creation of “yellow journalism”. In the nineteenth century the American
press was characterized by its competitive field, which pressured Hearst and Pulitzer as
well as journalist to furnish exciting news. Newspapers were forced to increase there
sales do to the high expenses covering the Spanish-American war meant for business.
Hearst’s reporters were famous for creating stories from Cuba that touched the American
society’s heart. These news portrayed Cuban as victims of Spanish domain, creating a
sense of pro-war in American people. I consider the fact that sentiments were so
overpowering in yellow journalism clearly influenced the reliability of the news creating
a society biased by writing.
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These biased news were so influential they took a great toll in politics in the
Spanish-American war, creating a public I believe was touched so greatly by the news
they received they were able to manipulate the government into war blinded by moral and
humanitarian reasons. The American society began to feel a responsibility to help the
beleaguered Cubans and after the tragic sinking of the U.S Maine America unequivocally
blamed Spain for such a disaster. The news showed no moral values at depicting Spain as
the monster and at using art such as political cartoons to sell newspapers and stir the
public. The public opinion began to demand intervention and what I find interesting is the
fact that right after the faux paus the Dupuy de Lome letter caused embarrassing
McKinley by calling him weak the U.S finally decided to intervene. The fact that morals
were directly hurt publicly finally forced America to step in.
Yellow Journalism’s fury and ability to bias the perception of society in a time of
such turmoil evidently had a great impact in the Spanish-American War trough American
intervention. Americans war-mad jumped to the conclusion that Spain had been guilty of
intolerable faults. I believe the economical need to sell newspaper was a crucial factor for
the creation of yellow journalism and the sense of change it brought overall in America at
the end of the nineteenth century. The yellow press whetted the popular taste and set new
standards for journalism abroad. Yellow journalism from my point of view was more
than just a smear in history but a new practice and distinctive genre that directly evoked
the public’s emotion. Yellow Journalism changed the way war was addressed in history
forever. Words-542
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E. Conclusion
The yellow press was evidently involved in the Spanish American War.
Yellow Journalism and sensationalized headlines had a dramatic effect on society in
the U.S and helped drive America into war with Spain. Headlines portrayed Cuba as
the victim and Spain as the power thirsty monster. The biased information, which
proclaimed Spain, had committed intolerable faults pushed the government towards
intervention and society into a pro-war sentiment. In addition the faux paus caused
by the Dupuy de Lome letter also contributed to the social pressure the government
experienced. There was also the economical factor that characterized the
newspaper field and pushed journalist into creating touch-warming stories on
fictitious facts. The Spanish-American War became a profitable business. Yellow
Journalism’s outcome on the Spanish-American war was of great impact, inflicting
society and government especially in the U.SA. where yellow journalism was the
“new journalism”. Yellow Journalism was an innovative genre that directly evoked
the public ‘s emotion and marked the Spanish American War dominantly.
Words-162
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Work Cited

Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas Andrew Bailey. The American
Pageant a History of the Republic. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Print.

"Crucible of Empire - PBS Online." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 15
Feb. 2011.
Source- YouTube - Hearst and the Spanish American War. YouTube - Broadcast

Yourself. Web. 17 Mar. 2011.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abzd41k_OhQ>.

Source: "The Spanish-American War: American Wars and the Media in Primary
Documents - Introduction." Web. 31 Jan. 2011.
<http://academic2.american.edu/~wjc/spanish11.htm>.

"Http://alt.tnt.tv/movies/tntoriginals/roughriders/jour.influencewar.html." PBS:
Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 31 Jan. 2011.
<http://www.pbs.org/crucible/frames/_journalism.html>.

Joseph Campbell. Yellow Journalism: Puncturing the Myths, Defining the
Legacies. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2001. Print.

Smythe, Ted Curtis. The Gilded Age Press: 1865 - 1900. Westport, Conn. [u.a.:
Praeger, 2003. Print.
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