US History
Tulanian
Unit 4: America Claims An Empire (Chapter 10) – Key Questions
Record your answers in complete sentence on a separate sheet of paper and label your responses by chapter
section and question number.
Chapter 10, Section 1: Imperialism and America
1. Describe American expansionism and how the U.S. entered into an era of Imperialism (include info on
global competition, military, new markets, and cultural beliefs)
2. Why did the U.S. acquire Alaska? Why did some feel this was “silly?”
3. What events and reasoning led the United States to annex Hawaii?
Chapter 10, Section 2: The Spanish-American War
1. Why did the U.S. get involved in the Cuban rebellion against Spain?
2. How did the situation in Cuba contribute to “War Fever?” (consider yellow journalism, the De Lome
letter, & the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine)
3. Describe the Spanish-American war as it relates to the Philippines, the Caribbean, and the Rough Riders.
4. How did the war end? Evaluate the benefits and potential costs of the Treaty of Paris.
Chapter 10, Section 3: Acquiring New Lands
1. Describe U.S. expansion into Puerto Rico. Why was Puerto Rico important to the United States? How did
American rule of Puerto Rico help/harm Puerto Ricans?
2. Analyze the U.S. occupation in Cuba. Consider the significance of the Teller Amendment, the American
military presence, the Platt Amendment, the U.S. as a “protectorate”, and American business interests.
3. How did the Treaty of Paris lead to the Philippine-American war?
4. What was the purpose of the Open Door Policy?
5. Analyze the U.S. response to the Boxer Rebellion.
Chapter 10, Section 4: America as a World Power
1. Compare & contrast how Roosevelt & Wilson used American power (include info regarding the
Roosevelt Corollary, the Panama Canal, & dollar diplomacy).
2. What were the similarities & differences between Roosevelt’s Big Stick policy & Wilson’s moral
diplomacy? (What were the goals of the policies and how were they applied?)