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Lesson Plans
The American Journey: A History of the United States ©2000
by David Goldfield, Carl Abbott, Virginia DeJohn Anderson, Jo Ann E. Argersinger, Peter H. Argersinger, William L. Barney, Robert M. Weir
Focus Lesson 18
Chapter 24: "Creating an Empire, 1865–1917"
AP* Course Description
- Foreign Policy, 1865–1914
- Seward and purchase of Alaska
- The new imperialism
- Blaine and Latin America
- International Darwinism: missionaries, politicians, and naval expansionists
- Spanish-American War
- The Far East: John Hay and the Open Door
- Theodore Roosevelt
- The Panama Canal
- Roosevelt Corollary
- Far East
- Taft and Dollar Diplomacy
- Wilson and Moral Diplomacy
Key Components
- Instructor's Manual: pp. 160–165
- Study Guide, Vol. II Since 1877: pp. 54–61
- Test Item File: pp. 275–283
Key Words and Terms
- Monroe Doctrine
- yellow press
- Anti-Imperialist League
- Taft-Katsura Agreement
- Panama Canal Company
- insular cases
- Manifest Destiny
- Rough Riders
- spheres of influence
- Gentlemen's Agreement
- Roosevelt Corollary
- dollar diplomacy
Suggested Pacing
Allow one week of classes for Chapter 24.
Test Strategy
In asking questions during class discussions, occasionally ask for "the most significant," "the least likely," "the most important," or "the best example" in order to give students practice in thinking in terms of qualifiers for questions and answers. While many questions on the AP* test will require a factually accurate/exact answer (something that either is or is not correct), some questions will require that students evaluate an answer on the basis of a qualifier such as most or least.
Key Concepts
Imperialist and anti-imperialist views
Students should be aware of the arguments of supporters and opponents of U.S. imperialism. Big business and political interests supported imperialism and found justification in Social Darwinism. Critics of imperialism considered that the westward expansion of the United States across the continent was different from colonial acquisitions outside the mainland. (Evidently usurpation of Native American lands was not a consideration in their thinking.) There was also concern that the people of these acquired lands would seek statehood and thus taint the nation; the insular cases ended that issue. Some opponents considered it hypocritical that a nation that had fought to end its own colonial status would itself seek colonial territories.
Summing Up Student Understanding
To provide students practice in writing DBQs, assign the following writing prompt using items from the text as the documents:
Describe the prevailing attitude of Americans toward the nation's policy of imperialism at the turn of the twentieth century. To support your position, refer to the "Overview" on p. 705, "Rationales for Imperialism" on p. 707, the photograph on p. 706, "American Views: Our Country, Racism, and American Imperialism" on p. 708, Map 24–1 on p. 710, and the political cartoons on pp. 712, 717, and 720.
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