Course Content
Lesson Plans
The American Nation: A History of the United States ©2000
by John A. Garraty and Mark C. Carnes
Focus Lesson 18
Chapter 23: "From Isolation to Empire"
AP* Course Description
- Foreign Policy, 1865–1914
- Seward and the purchase of Alaska
- The new imperialism
- Blaine and Latin America
- International Darwinism: missionaries, politicians, and naval expansionists
- Spanish-American War
– Cuban independence
– Debate on the Philippines
- The Far East: John Hay and the Open Door
- Theodore Roosevelt
- The Panama Canal
- Roosevelt Corollary
- Far East
- Taft and Dollar Diplomacy
Key Components
- Instructor's Manual: pp. 222–231
- Study Guide, Vol. II: pp. 111–127
- Test Bank: pp. 282–299
Key Web Sites
Given the changing nature of the Internet, you may wish to preview these sites. Check the Online Companion Web site for updated links to U.S. history sites.
- American Defenders of Land, Sea & Sky: The Spanish-American War
- William McKinley and the Spanish-American War
- The Age of Imperialism
Key Words and Terms
- joint resolution
- archipelago
- "insular cases"
- "yellow peril"
- "dollar diplomacy"
- Clayton-Bulwer Treaty
- Teller Amendment
- Roosevelt Corollary
- Open Door Policy
- Gentlemen's Agreement
- Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
- Downes v. Bidwell
- Maximilian
- N.C. Brooks
- John L. Stevens
- Depuy de Lome
- Emilio Aguinaldo
- John Hay
- "reconcentration" camps
- anti-imperialists
- "spheres of influence"
- isthmus
- Treaty of Washington
- USS Maine
- Platt Amendment
- Boxer Rebellion
- Treaty of Portsmouth
- Sakhalin Island
- United Fruit Company
- Rough Riders
- William Seward
- Liliuokalani
- Valeriano Weyler
- George Dewey
- Leonard Wood
- Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty
Suggested Pacing
Allow one week for teaching this chapter.
Test Strategy
In reading the question stems for both the multiple-choice and the essay questions, students should note all words that delimit the scope of a question. For example, a question might ask students to discuss the policy of the United States toward Latin America between 1880 and 1940. In this case, students should circle Latin America and between 1880 and 1940 because that limits what should be considered either among the answer choices posed or in writing the essay response.
Key Concepts
- Reasons for U.S. expansionism
The U.S. interest in acquiring extra-continental territory was an outgrowth of the policy of manifest destiny that the nation had been pursuing since the 1840s, as well as its need to find new markets and new sources of raw materials. The first reason was peculiarly American, whereas the latter concerns were similar to those that prompted European nations to establish colonies in Asia and Africa. Military and strategic arguments as well as missionary zeal and a sense of Anglo-Saxon superiority also fueled the desire for territory. These factors too were influenced to a degree by European ideas, attitudes, and actions. - Different responses to Europe and Latin America
U.S. policy toward Europe tended to be erratic. However, when it appeared that European interests in Latin America conflicted with those of the United States, the latter was quick to act. Theodore Roosevelt's declaration of the Roosevelt Corollary is the best-known example of this from the turn of the century, but it continued a policy begun by James Monroe who issued the first warning to European nations to stay out of the Western hemisphere. The Spanish-American War is only one of many examples of military intervention in the affairs of Latin American nations by the United States. Students should be aware of this strand in U.S. history and begin to trace it, since military action toward Latin America will appear many times after Roosevelt's administration.
Summing Up Student Understanding
Have the class create a timeline on the board of the actions and events that the United States participated in to create its empire. Once the timeline has been completed, discuss with students the basic assumptions and causes behind U.S. imperialism in the late-nineteenth century. Have them evaluate how consistent these ideas were with traditional ideas about the nation's place in the world. Have students write up their notes in the form of an outline to accompany the timeline. These two documents will help them in reviewing for the AP* exam.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
You might also find these additional readings useful in developing students' background knowledge or for DBQ activities:
- American Issues: Vol. II Since 1865, edited by Unger and Tomes—Chapter 4
- The Power of Words: Vol. II From 1865, edited by Breen—Chapter 5
- Constructing the American Past, Vol. II, edited by Gorn, Roberts, and Bilhartz—Chapter 5
- American Experiences: Vol. II From 1877, edited by Roberts and Olson (secondary source readings)—Part Three