What you’ll learn to do: identify and analyze bias and sensationalism in newspaper articles

You have already explored the idea of propaganda as it relates to the U.S. government and the war effort during World War I. This Historical Hack will explain how the U.S. media and other private institutions created and promoted their own narratives through journalism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While this type of propaganda was not as explicit or obvious as posters or films, it was very effective in swaying public opinion because it used bias and sensationalism to appeal to people’s emotions. This activity will teach you how to identify bias and sensationalism in newspaper articles and also help you to consider the relationship between the First Amendment and journalism in the context of modern-day media.