Study Guide for Chapter 10
America Claims an Empire
Outline #1 American Expansion, Alaska, and Hawaii
Chapter 10 Section 1 pp. 342-345
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6.
Name the most imperialist nations.
Look at a 1890s Map of Africa; explain what the European countries were doing and why.
Outline Mahan’s strategies.
What is “Anglo Saxon Superiority”?
Why was America involved in Hawaii?
Clearly define the McKinley Tariff and explain why it was a crisis for Hawaiian sugar
growers.
7. Who was Queen Lil? (That is, Queen Liliʻuokalani?)
8. Clearly explain the removal of the Queen (Queen Lil) from Hawaii’s government.
9. Describe US ambassador, John L. Stevens’ role in the removal.
10. How does Hawaii become a republic?
11. When does Hawaii become a state?
12. Is every Hawaiian happy to be part of the U.S. today?
Outline #2 The Spanish-American War
Chapter 10 Section 2 pp. 345-348
1. Clearly describe Cuba/Puerto Rico’s relationship with Spain (A MAP showing Spain’s
colonies may be very helpful). Was Spain a friendly, cuddly empire?
2. Who was Jose Marti? How did he die? Did he become a martyr?
3. Define and explain the “Cuba Libre!” movement and its role in getting the US to step in.
4. Explain how Spanish General Valeriano Weyler responds to the Cuban Revolt in detail. Was
Weyler a loveable, kind-hearted man who loved children and small animals?
5. What is yellow journalism and how do Hearst and Pulitzer make this problem with Spain
worse?
6. Give an example of yellow journalism from this conflict.
7. What is the De Lome Letter and how did it influence the US in this conflict.
8. Clearly identify the U.S.S. Maine and what happened to it and how William Randolph Hearst
made this situation worse. Did many Americans want to help the Cubans before the U.S.S.
Maine blew up?
9. What did President McKinley warn against in 1897 when he became president (18 months
before the U.S.S. Maine blew up.) Was he eager to go to war? If not, why not? (Give a
personal reason, as well as a national reason.)
10. What very famous future president was extremely eager to go to war? Why?
Outline #3 The Spanish-American War, Part II
Chapter 10 Section 2, pp. 348-351
1. What was the battle cry to start the Spanish American War?
2. Map of the Philippines showing Dewey’s trip to fight off the Spaniards. they are along
international trade routes).
3. Pictures and description of the battle in the Philippines.
4. The invasion of Cuba described in detail, maps and pictures where appropriate. Skip.
5. Explanation of the “Rough Riders” and their role in the battle of San Juan Hill. Who were the
Rough Riders? Who led them? Who became the hero of the war?
6. Explanation of the Treaty of Paris: Touch on the 3 terms issued forth! Very important! Hint:
Cuba gains it’s independence…sort of. America attaches a lot of conditions to their
independence.
7. Explanation of what happens to the Philippines.
8. At the end of this the US has Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippines: can you get a
map to show all the new territories added to the U.S. (Their “empire”) in 1899?
Outline #4 Puerto Rico and Cuba
Chapter 10 Section 3, pp. 352-355
1.
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4.
Who was Luis Rivera and what did he tell Congress about his homeland of Puerto Rico?
How did Americans feel about the Puerto Ricans’ ability to govern themselves?
How did Puerto Ricans view their independence from the US?
Explain this concept of “Yankee Imperialism” and find pictures or political cartoons if
possible.
5. What was the Foraker Act, describe it and find pictures or political cartoons if possible.
6. Why was Puerto Rico strategically important? Find a map showing the building of the
Panama Canal and what role Puerto Rico played in it.
7. Define the term “protectorate.”
8. Explain the good America had done in Cuba. But also explain the fears of people like Jose
Marti: he lived in New York City, wanted America’s help desperately, but what did he fear
about us?
9. What was the Teller Amendment? Why did it make the Cubans feel better?
10. What was the Platt Amendment? Clearly explain its many parts.
11. What was so important about the US staying in Cuba?
Outline #5 The Philippines and China
Chapter 10 Section 3 pp. 355-358
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6.
Who was Emilio Aguinaldo?
What role did Aguinaldo play in the Philippine-American War?
How did the US soldiers treat the Filipinos and try to justify their being there?
What did this war cost the US, literally and figuratively?
How was the Philippines organized after the war was over?
What role did William Howard Taft (future president, 1908-12) have in all of this and how
did he improve the lives of the Filipino people?
7. When did the Filipino’s get their independence?
8. How did US imperialists view of the Philippines affect how they “attacked” the rest of Asia?
9. What was happening in China around the early 20th century that made it so imperialists
could gain more access to China?
10. Who is John Hay and what are the Open Door Notes?
11. What did other countries want in China and how did they go about getting it?
12. How did the Chinese respond to all this outside influence in their isolationist nation?
13. What was the Boxer Rebellion/Protocol? Why did Americans call these martial artists
“Boxers”?
14. What did the Open Door Policy say about the American beliefs on imperialism and the US
industrial capitalist economy?
15. Include a map, like the one you have in your packet that shows the true impact of
imperialism.
16. Give both sides of the argument; what did people like/hate about imperialism? (There are
probably more than two sides.)
17. Consider Mark Twain’s statement.
Outline #6 Theodore Roosevelt
Chapter 10 Section 4, pp. 359-363
1. Teddy Roosevelt (The World’s Most Interesting Man), takes over the presidency in 1901.
What role does he play in foreign policy? What is his overriding major goal?
2. What happened in the Russo-Japanese War? (See the next point for why Americans care.)
3. How did Roosevelt play a role in the successful mediation of the Russo-Japanese War; that is,
why did he win the Nobel Peace Prize?
4. What kind of relationship did we have with Japan after this mediation?
5. What was the “Great White Fleet”? What was it made out of? What were most ships
worldwide made of?
6. Describe the construction and acquisition of the land to build the Panama Canal. Who tried
building a canal first? Why did they give up?
7. Explain “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick.” Feel free to whisper it to me only once and then
club me if I don’t get it.
8. What was the Roosevelt Corollary? How did it compare to the Monroe Doctrine? How did it
impact imperialism and our acquisition of territory?
9. What was Dollar Diplomacy? Who does it keep out? Does it prevent wars? Give examples.
Outline #7 Woodrow Wilson
Chapter 10 Section 4, pp. 363-365
1. What did the Monroe Doctrine say about US involvement in Latin American affairs?
2. How did Wilson add to the Monroe Doctrine?
3. Describe in detail the Mexican Revolution. (Watchful waiting, Francisco Madero, General
Huerta, Carranza)
4. What role did the US play in this revolution and why?
5. Who was Francisco Pancho Villa? What was his conflict with Carranza?
6. Who was Pershing and what role did he play in the pursuit of Villa?
7. For about 100 years before this particular Mexican Revolution, how stable is Mexico? How
do their leaders usually come to power?
8. List two reasons we could say that the U.S. and Mexico are “frenemies.”
American Presidents, 1896-1920
William McKinley, 1896-1901 (shot dead by an anarchist; frequently underrated; recently
reappraised as a wise president and the first to understand modern media)
Wanted to stay out of any war, but when forced to go to war, was very quick and successful.
Whether America liked it or not, our quick win with our powerful navy and American know-how
suddenly made us a world power. If we had any dreams of being a peaceful country designed to help the
average person prosper and not be entangled in foreign chaos, that was now over.
The pluses: as of 1899, we were now a very grown up country, with global responsibilities.
The minuses: as of 1899, well, we were now a very grown up country, with global responsibilities.
Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-1909 (Often rated as #4 or #5 by historians)
Wanted to go to war, but once he became president, never sent our country to war. Won a Nobel
Peace Prize instead for ending the Russo-Japanese War.
William Howard Taft, 1909-1913 (Rated highly by historians)
Was “Mr. Fix-it” for both McKinley and Roosevelt; give Taft a job, and he did it well. Rated
highly by historians as a good president.
Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1921 (The first of the progressive Democratic presidents)
Believed that morality should be the key to foreign policy. (I can’t see where his foreign policy is
any more moral than McKinley’s, Roosevelt’s, or Taft’s; maybe I am missing something.) I don’t know
if we behaved in as straightforward of a way as possible with Mexico; I don’t think so.
Further, in 1916, he campaigned for re-election under the slogan, “He kept us out of war.” After
winning, within five months he took us into World War One, but that’s our next chapter.
Tough Guys, Schemers, and Little Boys
1. Alfred T. Mahan
2. King David of Hawaii, aka Kalākaua, born David Laʻamea Kamanakapuʻu Mahinulani
Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua
3. John B. Dole
4. John L. Stevens’
5. President Grover Cleveland; definitely discuss what he was thinking as the U.S. just happened to
overthrow a foreign country’s government, imprison its leader, and take control of all the land.
6. The 14-year-old Spanish King
7. Spanish General Valeriano Weyler (the thug)
8. William Randolph Hearst, the yellow journalist; do not recycle a previous presentation.
Definitely cover his part in the Spanish-American War, and his dislike of President McKinley.
9. Admiral Dewey
10. The Rough Riders
11. The Chinese “Boxers.”
12. Mark Twain
13. Pancho Villa, the killer who got away
14. General “Blackjack” John Pershing, who also plays a role in World War One