DeLome Leak Bellringer Handout
Primary Source Investigation
THE JINGO'S JOURNAL
BELL RINGER: DAY 12 Wednesday, February 9, 1898
STUDENT NAME: __________________________________________
DATE: ______________
PERIOD: _____
The Intercepted Letter that Sparked a War
In December 1897, Enrique Dupuy de Lôme, the Spanish Ambassador to the United States, wrote a private letter to a Spanish official. Cuban revolutionaries intercepted the mail and delivered it to publisher William Randolph Hearst, who published it on the front page as an unforgivable insult to the nation.
Document Exhibit: Leaked Correspondence Translated Text
"...The situation here remains the same. Everything depends on the military campaign... The letter shows that McKinley is: weak and catering to the rabble, and, besides, a low politician, who desires to leave a door open to himself and to stand on good terms with the jingoes of his party."
"...It is also shown that the peace negotiations are only losing time... If they do not succeed, it is because we are negotiating with a government that is not serious, or is incompetent."
Source: National Archives Record Group 59 — Enrique Dupuy de Lôme, Spanish Ambassador
Hearst's Sensational Front-Page Banner Headline
"THE WORST INSULT TO THE UNITED STATES IN ITS HISTORY!"
Contextual Glossary
Ambassador
An official diplomat sent by a country as its spokesperson.
Jingo
A politician pushing for an aggressive, warlike foreign policy.
Intercept
To block, seize, or catch something before it reaches its target.
Catering
Pandering or trying to please an audience to gain their favor.
Rabble
An insulting term for a loud, unorganized crowd or "the mob."
Incompetent
Lacking the skill, capacity, or ability to do a task successfully.
1. Close Reading: Based on the glossary, what is the Ambassador accusing McKinley of doing when he says he is "catering to the rabble"?
2. Historical Inference: Why would calling the President "incompetent" in an intercepted letter provoke the aggressive "jingoes" to demand war?
3. Media Critique: Evaluate Hearst’s headline. In what ways is it an exaggeration of a single private letter?
Headline Clashes Task Cards
HEADLINE CLASHES
Comparative Media Analysis Task Cards. Cut out these cards for small group discussions or gallery walks.
Activity Kit Spanish-American War vs. Modern Era
CARD 1: THE LEAKED INSULT MEDIA COMPARISON
1898 Yellow Press Headline
"THE WORST INSULT TO THE UNITED STATES IN ITS HISTORY!"
William Randolph Hearst's paper front-paged the private DeLome Letter calling President McKinley "weak" to whip up public anger against Spain.
Modern Clickbait Parallel
"LEAKED GROUP CHAT EXPOSES LEADER AS 'PATHETIC AND WEAK'—CITIZENS OUTRAGED!"
A modern digital news site uses a leaked Slack message to drive clicks, spark trending hashtags, and demand political resignations.
CRITICAL INQUIRY PROMPT
How does calling a private leak the "worst insult in history" convert a diplomatic dispute into an immediate call for war? How does modern clickbait use similar escalation tactics?
CARD 2: THE UNVERIFIED TRAGEDY MEDIA COMPARISON
1898 Yellow Press Headline
"DESTRUCTION OF THE WAR SHIP MAINE WAS THE WORK OF AN ENEMY!"
Hearst offered a $50,000 reward for Spanish saboteurs before any official naval investigation into the ship explosion had even started.
Modern Clickbait Parallel
"BREAKING: SECRET DEEP-SEA WEAPON STRIKES U.S. VESSEL? WATCH EXPERTS SPECULATE LIVE!"
An online influencer posts an unverified video claiming a naval accident was a foreign attack to get views and subscriptions.
CRITICAL INQUIRY PROMPT
What is the danger of offering a massive cash bounty or publishing live unverified rumors before an official report is released? Who profits from this speed over accuracy?
CARD 3: SENSATIONAL HORRORS MEDIA COMPARISON
1898 Yellow Press Headline
"SPANIARDS FEEDING CUBAN PRISONERS TO SHARKS IN HAVANA HARBOR!"
Newspapers printed unverified, cartoonish horror stories of Spanish cruelty to provoke emotional outrage and disgust among American readers.
Modern Clickbait Parallel
"THE HORRIFYING SECRET INGREDIENTS BEING SLIPPED INTO SCHOOL LUNCHES (SHOCKING FOOTAGE!)"
A viral TikTok uses eerie music and false claims of systemic poisoning to spark outrage, fear, and shares among parents.
CRITICAL INQUIRY PROMPT
Why do highly visual, stomach-turning, or frightening stories (like sharks or toxic food) spread faster than complex political reports? What human emotion are they targeting?
CARD 4: COMMERCIALIZING WAR MEDIA COMPARISON
1898 Yellow Press Headline
"HOW DO YOU LIKE THE JOURNAL'S WAR? ARE YOU WITH US OR THE ENEMY?"
Hearst took credit for starting the Spanish-American War, presenting the war as a commercial victory for his paper and forcing readers to take a side.
Modern Clickbait Parallel
"IF YOU DON'T REPOST THIS VIDEOCLIP, YOU ARE ON THE SIDE OF THE SPREADERS! CHOOSE NOW."
Social media algorithms reward high-conflict "with us or against us" narratives because they maximize comments, anger, and user retention.
CRITICAL INQUIRY PROMPT
When a news source makes war or political issues about "their brand" or forces you into a simple "Us vs. Them" binary, what happens to critical thinking and objective truth?
