M. J. Ditmore © 2008
Teaching American History for All
Maybeck High School/UCB H-SSP
10th Grade Lesson: “Progressivism in the age of Imperialism”
Developed by Michael J. Ditmore
11th Grade Year long Question
From its origins to the present day the constitution been interpreted and reinterpreted in
the light of social, religious, political and cultural movements, as well as in reaction to
wars, and crises, students will examine the many ways in which that succession of
interpretations has expanded and less often contracted the power of the federal
government. Students will also consider the changing relationship of citizens to their
government though time and will be encouraged to examine their own roles rights and
responsibilities as US citizens.
Unit Focus:
What is the relationship between Imperialism and Progressivism?
Lesson Focus Question and/ or Writing Prompt Question:
What is the relationship between Imperialism and Progressivism in US activities in the
Philippines? Does that relationship shed light on the failure of domestic Progressivism to
benefit people of color and religious minorities to the same extend as it benefited
northern European descent?
Lesson Working Thesis:
While progressives pursued idealistic programs designed to benefit society, the
prevalence of anglo-saxonism and social Darwinist views among progressives, also
allowed them to ignore people of color on the domestic scene and to embark on
imperialist ventures which caused significant harm to people of color at home and
abroad.
Note: This plan is a short review unit designed to follow a pair of chapters--one on US Imperialism and one
on Progressivism (AV, Ch. 4 and 5). The one-week (four days) unit is intended to help students to synthesis
two units which overlap chronologically, but which treat their subjects as discrete from one another. It is
intended to stimulate critical thinking about the nature of Imperialism in to set up a deeper connection to the
next text chapter on the Wilson presidency and the First World War.
Reading Strategy #1
Sentence level:
Sentence Deconstruction Primary Document: Theodore Roosevelt,
Response to William Jennings Bryan’s Anti-War Platform, Chicago, 1899
(American Vision pp. 318-319)
I have scant patience with those who fear to undertake the task of governing the
Philippines. . . I have even scanter patience with those who. . . rant about “liberty” and the
“consent of the governed” in order to excuse themselves for their unwillingness to play the part
of men. . . .
M. J. Ditmore © 2008
Passage Deconstruction (reading strategy)
Primary Document: Theodore Roosevelt, Chicago, 1899
Response to William Jennings Bryan’s Anti-War Platform, delivered in 1899
American Vision pp. 318-319
Time marker/
foreground/ connector
words
with
with
Who (subject)
Participants
Action Words
(verbs/ verb phrases)
I [TR]
have
those [like William
Jennings Bryan, object to
the occupation of the
Philippines] who
fear
I [TR]
have
those [like William
Jennings Bryan, object to
the occupation of the
Philippines] who
rant
Who, What, Where?
Message
Students will have read Bryan’s presidential platform speech against the war
Passage Deconstruction, reading strategy (KEY)
Questions or
conclusions: What
connections can you
make from this
information?
M. J. Ditmore © 2008
Primary Document: Theodore Roosevelt, Chicago, 1899
Response to William Jennings Bryan’s Anti-War Platform, delivered in 1899
American Vision pp.318-319
Time marker/
foreground/ connector
words
with
with
Who (subject)
Participants
Action Words
(verbs/ verb phrases)
Who, What, Where?
Message
I [TR]
have
scant patience
those [like William
Jennings Bryan, object to
the occupation of the
Philippines] who
fear
to undertake the task of
governing the
Philippines.
I [TR]
have
even scanter patience
those who [like William
Jennings Bryan, object to
the occupation of the
Philippines]
rant
about “liberty” and the
“consent of the governed”
in order to excuse
themselves for their
unwillingness to play the
part of men.
Questions or
conclusions: What
connections can you
make from this
information?
Note bland verb and the
sense of urgency. Post as
the exasperated but
reasonable voice.
“fear” highlighted, the
implication of cowardice
confirmed in the last
phrase of the next
sentence.
Note the rhetorical
ratcheting up of
impatience.
“Rant” puts Bryan in
irrational contrast to TR’s
implied patience
(however stretched).
Notice the willingness to
set aside and put scare
quotes around key
concepts of US law.
M. J. Ditmore © 2008
Reading Strategy #2
Passage Level Strategy:
Passage Strategy for Reading Analysis:
Actions, Motivations, Results
Rebellion in the Philippines
The United States quickly learned that controlling its new empire would not
be easy. Emilio Aguinaldo called the American decision to annex his homeland a
“violent and aggressive seizure.” He then ordered his troops to attack the American
soldiers in the Philippines.
To fight the Filipino guerrillas, General Arthur MacArthur…adopted many of
the same policies that America had condemned Spain for using in Cuba. MacArthur
set up reconcentration camps to separate guerrillas from civilians. The results were
also similar to what had happened in Cuba. Thousands of Filipinos died from disease
and starvation.
While MacArthur fought the guerrillas, the first U.S. civilian governor of the
islands, William Howard Taft, tried to win over the Filipino people by reforming
education, transportation, and health care. New railroads, bridges, and telegraph lines
strengthened the economy. A public school system was set up, and new health care
policies virtually eliminated severe diseases such as cholera and smallpox. These
reforms slowly reduced Filipino hostility.
In March 1901, American troops captured Aguinaldo. The following month,
Aguinaldo accepted American control of the islands and called on the guerrillas to
surrender. By summer 1902, the United States had declared the war over. Eventually
the United States allowed the Filipinos a greater role in governing their own country.
By the mid-1930s, they were permitted to elect their own congress and president.
Finally, in 1946, the United States granted independence to the Philippines.
American Vision, Glencoe, McGraw Hill, 2006, p.306
Focus Question: How did progressivism support and assist Imperialism?
Content Question: What does the passage tell us about progressivism if the policies mentioned in the passage are
practiced under a progressive government and involve a future progressive president?
M. J. Ditmore © 2008
Passage Strategy for Reading Analysis:
Actions, Motivations, Results
Rebellion in the Philippines
Who are the
Actors on the US
side in this
passage?
What did they
do?
Why did they do
it?
What were the
ultimate results
of the actions
taken?
While many of
the actions
undertaken by
Taft are typical
of progressive
reforms, can we
call them
progressive?
Explain.
M. J. Ditmore © 2008
Passage Strategy for Reading Analysis:
Actions, Motivations, Results
Rebellion in the Philippines
Who are the
Actors in the
passage?
Actions:
What did they
do?
(Number the
actions taken
when there
are more than
one.)
Results:
What were
the results of
the actions
taken?
What were
the ultimate
results of
these actions?
How do the
progressive
improvements
in the
Philippines
relate to the
military
actions?
Explain.
Evaluate.
General Arthur
MacArthur
William Howard Taft
1) Adopted policies
that had been
condemned in Cuba
under Spain
1) Reformed education, transportation and health care
2) Set up
reconcentration
camps
Thousands of
Filipinos died from
disease and
starvation
3) established new health care policies
2) had new railroads, bridges, and telegraph lines
constructed
Eliminated diseases such as cholera, and smallpox in
the Philippines
Slowly reduced Filipino hostility towards the US
Mixed: thousands dies in concentration camps, but devastating diseases
were eliminated and the Philippine infrastructure was improved.
Gradually hostility towards the US ceased and the revolt ended.
Answers will vary.
o The two sets of policies are contradictory, and the use of
progressive methods is a cynical ploy to further the goal of
conquest and occupation.
o Progressive methods are part of the military effort and justified on
the moral ground of supporting a faster end to resistance and loss
of life.
o Since the US wanted the Philippines for the market they would
provide, as well as opening the door to china, it makes perfect sense
to build systems of transportation, to make the people healthier,
and better educated.
Students would fill out the first three rows in class, then discuss their results. Students would then write responses to the last two
rows for homework to bring in for discussion the following day. After discussing their responses, students would begin work in
groups on the following writing strategy with breaks to discuss their results. This would be a wider ranging discussion and review of
the two chapters for more evidence.
M. J. Ditmore © 2008
Writing Strategy:
Examine the relationship between imperialism and progressivism.
Thesis:
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Evidence:
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Analysis:
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Evidence:
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Analysis:
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Conclusion:
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M. J. Ditmore © 2008
Suggested Amount of Time:
Four days divided into two 55 minute class on Monday and Tuesday respectively, one 100
minute class on Thursday and, one 55 minute class on Friday.
Textbook:
American Vision, Glencoe, McGraw Hill, 2006, Ch. 5 and 6
Primary Sources:
Political Cartoons from the Age of Imperialism from The Forbidden Book: the PhilippineAmerican War in Political Cartoons T-Boli publishing, 2004
Two Essays: “The Subjective Necessity for Social Settlements,” Jane Addams, 1892 and
Booker T. Washington and Others,” 1903 (Handouts from Reading the American Past:
Selective Historical Documents vol. 2 From 1865, Bedford St. Martins, 2005, pp.101-104
and 116-119)
Context of the lesson in the Unit:
The critical thinking about Progressivism will open the Mini-unit on the relationship between
Progressivism and Imperialism.
Lesson Procedure:
Day One:
1. Introduction: Set up the question: what’s the relationship between Imperialism and
Progressivism: review definitions of the two movements in chapters 4 and 5.
 Step One: Distribute lined paper and project political cartoons advocating imperialism
for discussion.
 Step Two: Students will write up observations, and then share around the room; each
student must produce something to turn in.
2. Reading strategy:
 Step One: Students will divide into groups to chunk the three excerpted essays on
Imperialism (American Vision pp. 318-319)
 Step Two: Delivery of writing assignment for homework due tomorrow.
HW: a one page (200 to 250 words) speech advocating one of the three positions or an
alternative position on imperialism.
Day Two:
1. Solicit readings of the speeches, collect the assignment.
2. Sentence deconstruction (See above).
 Step One: Distribute the forms.
 Step Two: Explain how to use the form.
 Step Three: Discuss the results using the key (see above).
 Step Four: Collect the forms.
3. Political Cartoon Discussion:
 Step One: Distribute lined paper and project White Man’s Burden Series.
 Step Two: Observe and Write, then discuss.
 Step Three: Collect Writing for assessment.
4. Introduce Jane Addams’ settlement house essay.
M. J. Ditmore © 2008
 Step One: Distribute photocopies of Jane Addams’ essay.
 Step Two: Assign homework: reading Jane Addams and annotating the essay.
Day Three Block Day:
1. Discuss the Jane Addams essay.
 Step One: Prepare the discussion by chunking the paragraphs and having groups find
the thesis or topic sentence for each.
 Step Two: Have groups report back on their findings.
 Step Three: Discuss how Addams’ views fit into the overall picture of Progressivism
and progressive goals (review).
2. Discuss passage on the Philippine War (American Vision pp. 306-306), see above for
reading strategy (passage analysis).
 Step One: Distribute passage analysis on the Rebellion in the Philippines.
 Step Two: Students read the essay and fills in the first three rows individually.
 Step Three: Discuss the prompts in the third and fourth row in terms of the unit
question, have students write up the results individually and hand them in.
3. Introduce the W.E.B. Du Bois essay.
 Step One: Distribute photocopies of W.E.B Du Bois essay.
 Step Two: Assign homework: Reading W.E.B Du Bois and annotating the essay
Day Four:
1. Discuss the W.E.B Du Bois essay
 Step One: Prepare the discussion by chunking the paragraphs and having groups find
the thesis or topic sentence for each.
 Step Two: Have groups report back on their findings.
 Step Three: Discuss how W.E.B Du Bois’ views fit into the overall picture of
Progressivism and progressive goals (review the passage on the formation of the
N.A.A.C.P. if the students don’t bring it up in the discussion).
2. Return to the question of the relation of Imperialism to Progressivism via the place of
Anglo-Saxonism and race prejudice in domestic policy and in foreign policy
History-Social Science Content Standards:
o 11.2.9 Effect of political programs and activity of Progressives
o 11.4 Trace the rise of the US to… a world power in the 20th Cent.
o 11.4.2 Describe the Spanish-American War & US expansion in the South Pacific
Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills:
o Chronological and Spatial thinking 3. Students use a variety of maps and documents to
interpret human movement, including major patterns of domestic and international migration,
changing environmental preferences and settlement patterns, the frictions that develop
between population groups, and the diffusion of ideas, technological innovations, and goods.
M. J. Ditmore © 2008
o Historical Research, Evidence and Point of View: 3. Students construct and test
hypotheses; collect, evaluate, and employ information from multiple primary and secondary
sources; and apply it in oral and written presentations.
Reading/Language Arts Content Standards:
o 1.0 Writing Strategies
o 1.3 Structure ideas and arguments in a sustained, persuasive, and sophisticated way
and support them with precise and relevant examples.
o 1.0 Written and Oral English and language Conventions
o 1.1 Demonstrate control of grammar, diction, and paragraph and sentence structure
and an understanding of English usage.
o 1.2 Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct punctuation and
capitalization.
o 1.3 Reflect appropriate manuscript requirements in writing.
o 1.0 Listening and Speaking strategies:
o 1.1 Recognize strategies used by the media to inform, persuade, entertain, and
transmit culture (e.g., advertisements; perpetuation of stereotypes; use of visual
representations, special effects, language).
o 1.3 Interpret and evaluate the various ways in which events are presented and
information is communicated by visual image makers (e.g., graphic artists,
documentary filmmakers, illustrators, news photographers).