U.S. II (Honors)
Syllabus
IMPERIALISM
INTRODUCTION
Before the 1880s, the United States was relatively isolated - both geographically and politically - from
the rest of the world. By the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the Civil War and Reconstruction
were over, the conquest and settlement of the West were virtually complete, and the transition to an
industrial economy was well under way. As a result, many Americans began to turn their attention
outward. By the turn of the century, the United States emerged as a world power with imperial
possessions overseas.
TOPICS
Foreign Policy
Definition
Isolationism to Imperialism
Early Expansion
Reasons for Expansion
Alaska
Hawaii
Alfred Thayer Mahan
Spanish-American War
Cuba
U.S.S. Maine
Yellow Journalism
Reasons for War
Two Front War
Facts of War
Problems in the Philippines
Teller Amendment
Platt Amendment
Foraker Act
China
Spheres of Influence
Open Door Policy
Boxer Rebellion
President Theodore Roosevelt
McKinley’s Death
Roosevelt’s Corollary
“Big Stick” Policy
Views of Others
Panama Canal
Imperialism Debate
Pro-Imperialism
Anti-Imperialism
President William Taft
Dollar Diplomacy
Election of 1912
Candidates
Result
President Woodrow Wilson
Missionary/Moral Diplomacy
Intervention in Mexico
NAME_______________________________
U.S. II (Honors)
Imperialism Homework
Score: 25 22 18 15 11 8 4 0
A.
HW Score:________
Questions do not go in order of text, read section first then go back.
Read Ch 18 - Sec 1, The Roots of American Overseas Expansion (p. 548-551)
1. List two reasons for American isolation from foreign affairs before 1880.
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2. Identify Seward’s Folly.
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3. Describe the economic changes that encouraged Americans to take more interest in overseas
involvement in the late 1800s.
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4. Explain the influence of Social Darwinism on American attitudes about foreign affairs.
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5. Define imperialism.
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6. Summarize briefly Captain Mahan’s ideas on American foreign policy.
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7. Explain the reasons why the U.S. wanted to acquire Hawaii and what Hawaii did in response.
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NAME_______________________________
U.S. II (Honors)
Imperialism Homework
Score: 25 22 18 15 11 8 4 0
B.
Read Ch 18 - Sec 2, The Spanish-American War (p 552-557)
1. State reasons for American interest in Cuba during the 1890s.
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2. List the major causes of the Spanish-American War.
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3. Define the term “yellow journalism”.
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4. Describe the role played by Theodore Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War.
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Read Ch 18 - Sec 3, Acquiring New Lands (p 558-561)
5. Identify three reasons that led the United States to annex the Philippines rather than grant them
independence after the Spanish-American War.
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6. List the reasons the anti-imperialists opposed annexing the Philippine Islands.
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7. Explain the terms found in the Platt Amendment.
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NAME_______________________________
U.S. II (Honors)
Imperialism Homework
Score: 25 23 21 19 16 14 12 10 7 5 3 0
C.
Read Ch 18 - Sec 3, Foreign Influence in China (p 562-564)
1. State the reason some Americans were interested in China.
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2. Specify the intent of John Hay’s Open Door note to the major powers.
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3. Explain the Boxer Rebellion.
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Look at Spheres of Influence in China handout
4. Name all of the foreign countries that had spheres of influence in China in the early 1900s.
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5. Name the country which controlled most of China’s major ports.
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6. Name the country that gained influence in China by expanding its boundary southward.
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7. Name the territory that the United States controlled in the part of world shown on this map.
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8. Explain the geographic advantage that both Russia and Japan had for expanding their influence in
China.
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Read Roosevelt and the World (p 565-566) and The Roosevelt Corollary (p 568)
9. Explain the ideas that guided Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy and his role in Expansion.
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10. Explain the reasoning for the Panama Canal
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11. Explain Roosevelt’s Corollary.
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NAME_______________________________
U.S. II (Honors)
Imperialism Homework
Score: 25 19 13 7 0
D.
Read Ch 18 - Sec 4, Dollar Diplomacy (p 568-569)
1. Describe dollar diplomacy.
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2. Describe Wilson’s foreign policy.
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3. Identify Pancho Villa.
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4. Describe the actions taken by Wilson against Pancho Villa.
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