“THE NEWS MEDIA HAVE SHAPED AMERICAN HISTORY. ABSOLUTELY. Boldly. Profoundly,” says Rodger Streitmatter, in an excerpt of his book, Mightier Than The Sword. In this particular chapter, Streitmatter acknowledges the idea that journalism has served as a catalyst for every major historical and social movement since colonial times. He delves into 10 different methods he believes media outlets have used to shape American history throughout the centuries; in essence, the how. One method that resonated with me most was the conclusion that news organizations have influenced events because they’ve been willing to set an agenda, rather than merely record the facts. Before taking this course, I would have refuted that idea, but my newfangled knowledge of journalism has led me to believe that the media has had more of an impact on America’s history than society will ever comprehend.