What influenced American public opinion leading up to the war with Spain?

The strong support for the Cuban liberation movement significantly influenced American public opinion leading up to the war with Spain. Many Americans were sympathetic to the plight of Cuban revolutionaries who were fighting for independence from Spanish colonial rule. This empathy was fueled by sensationalist journalism, known as yellow journalism, which exaggerated reports of Spanish atrocities in Cuba and rallied public sentiment in favor of intervention. Newspapers played a crucial role in shaping perceptions by highlighting stories of suffering, oppression, and heroism associated with the Cuban struggle, thus garnering widespread support for the idea of aiding the rebels and, ultimately, engaging in war against Spain. This alignment with the Cuban cause was not just about humanitarian concerns but also intertwined with notions of American exceptionalism and the belief in a moral obligation to spread democracy and freedom.