Zola's 'J'Accuse' Sets France Ablaze
On January 13, 1898, novelist Émile Zola's front-page open letter "J'Accuse" in L'Aurore charged the French state with railroading Captain Alfred Dreyfus — and split France in two.
Tales from the year 1898
The Explosion That Sank the Maine -- and Started a War
When the battleship USS Maine blew up in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898, killing 266 crewmen, the tragedy became the spark that drew America into war with Spain.
The Balcony in Kawit Where a Nation Was Born
On June 12, 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine independence from his balcony in Kawit, unveiling the nation's flag and anthem in a single afternoon.
The Treaty That Made America a World Power
On December 10, 1898, the United States and Spain signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the Spanish-American War and turning America into an overseas empire.