Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
February 21, 2013
A/A.P. U.S. History
Mr. Green
By the end of the lesson, students will analyze
to what extent the War of 1898 established
the United States as an imperialistic country
Objectives: Students will:
Explain why the United States suddenly abandoned its isolationism and
turned outward at the end of the nineteenth century.
Describe the forces pushing for American overseas expansion and the
causes of the Spanish-American War.
Describe and explain the unintended results of the Spanish-American War,
especially the conquest of Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
Explain McKinley’s decision to keep the Philippines, and list the opposing
arguments in the debate about imperialism.
AP Focus
Thinking Globally (The American Pageant, 14th ed., pp. 694–695) looks at
how the United States came late to empire-building, which European powers had
used to colonize large parts of the world in the nineteenth century.
Social Darwinism is one key justification for U.S. territorial expansion.
Having expanded to the Pacific Ocean by the late nineteenth century, the
United States will go on to establish a global empire. The first step is to defeat
Spain and take over its crumbling empire. This is accomplished in the SpanishAmerican War, when the United States ostensibly comes to the aid of Cubans who
are seeking to break the chains of Spanish imperialism. Having defeated the
Spaniards and wrested from them their empire in the Caribbean and the Pacific,
the United States faces an insurgency by people who earlier were its allies, notably
the Cubans and Filipinos, who bridle at what they see as a new hegemonic power.
CHAPTER THEMES
In the 1890s, a number of economic and
political forces sparked a spectacular burst of
imperialistic expansionism for the United States
that culminated in the Spanish-American War—a
war that began over freeing Cuba and ended with
the highly controversial acquisition of the
Philippines and other territories.
In the wake of the Spanish-American War,
President Theodore Roosevelt pursued a bold and
sometimes controversial new policy of asserting
America’s influence abroad, particularly in East
Asia and Latin America.
Identifications
1890s Foreign Policy Side
Philippine Annexation Debate on Monday
roles assigned on Friday
“We assert that no nation can long endure half
republic and half empire, and we warn the
American people that imperialism abroad will
lead quickly and inevitably to despotism at home
Democratic National Platform, 1900
1. Identify the major issues that the Democratic
National Platform is warning the American public
about.
2. Explain imperialism and despotism. How are
these concepts related? Use examples to justify
your response.
Reasons for overseas expansion
1. Foreign markets
2. Expand or explode
3. Yellow journalism
4. Pious missionaries
5. Social Darwinism
6. Captian Alfred Thayer Mahan’s-new steel navy
7. Big Sister policy-rallying Latin American
countries behind U.S. leadership and opening
markets to U.S. traders
8. Diplomatic crises
9. Great Rapprochement
Revolted against Spain in 1895
Sugar was hurt by the American Tariff of 1894
Insurrectos torched sugar mills/canefields and
some American interests ($50 million in Cuba)
Lodge identified the importance of
Cuba/Panama canal
Butcher Weyler-sent by Spain to subdue Cuba in
1896
Yellow journalism-wrote stories about Cuban
atrocities-Students will read about Evangelina
De Lome letter-unflattering letter about McKinley
Battleship Maine to Cuba-Feb. 15, 1898
War Declaration April 11, 1898
August 12, 1898 armistice
Americans hurt by disease
400 died from battle
5,000 died from disease
April 11, 1898-McKinley sends war message to
Congress
Teller Amendment: Cuban self-rule after
war
Primary Source Analysis: Students will read
and analyze President McKinley’s War
Message
Question: What role did the press and public
opinion play in the origin of the SpanishAmerican War?
Treaty of Paris-Dec. 10, 1898
U.S. received: Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines
($20 million, captured after the armistice)
McKinley confronted with dilemma over Philippines
Philippine acquisition caused much debate-Primary
Source Analysis: McKinley’s Dilemma
Anti-Imperialist League
White-man’s burden
Prediction: What will be some of the short and
long-term results of American acquisition of the
Philippines and Puerto Rico?
Foraker Act-limited degree of popular government for
Puerto Rico
Citizenship in 1917
Question: Are we citizens or are we subjects?
Insular cases
subject to American rule but not all American rights
Cuba
ended yellow fever in Havana
U.S. withdrew in 1902 after supporting Cuba
Platt Amendment
not to sign treaties that would compromise their
independence
not to take on debt
U.S. intervene with troops
sell/lease land to U.S. for naval stations
War of 1898
113 days
How was this "a splendid little war”?
new respect in the world
closed the divide between the North and South
more resources to pay for its new status
Question: Describe the impact the War of 1898
played in closing the divide between the North
and the South.
Analyze to what extent the War of 1898
established the United States as an
imperialistic country.
Begin Reading second ½ of Chapter 27 page
685-696
Prepare for 5 question quiz on Friday
First 20 Id’s are due on Monday-Your quiz
score is contingent upon you having them
done.