The Media and the War
Overview
The U.S.-Mexican War was the first war to be covered by mass circulation newspapers. The coverage of the war excited Americans about the conflict that was taking place so far away from them. And the newspaper stories not only reported news about the war; they also had an influence on the events of the war (as they would again in other wars in the future). Newspapers and other media also gave ordinary soldiers something that they had not had before: the chance to speak as individuals directly to the public. Students will explore the role of the media and the war in the following three lessons:
