1. Yellow Journalism

2. 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)

3. Cuban Revolution
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.
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 a Cuban rebel who fought for their independence. spoke of Spanish brutality in his newspaper called Patria. It aroused American sympathies.

4. Weyler Camps
Marti was killed in battle but his rebel forces fought on and burned sugarcane farms & government buildings to disable the Spanish forces. The rebels wanted to make the island less profitable so the Spanish would desert it.
In response, the Spanish began their Re- concentration campaign.
“All plantations shall be totally destroyed, their cane and outbuildings burned. Laborers who shall aid the sugar factories shall be considered traitors to their country and shall be shot.” General Máximo Gómez.
According to this campaign they captured and moved over a half million rebels to detention camps where many died from starvation and disease.