1. Warm Up On a piece of Notebook paper
What do the following words mean? Write definitions down in your own words.
You may use your phone or a dictionary to look up words you don’t know.
chronological order
historical era
historical significance

2. Unit 4: Rise to World Power (1890-1920)
Day 1: American Imperialism

3. Rise to World Power
This historical era is characterized by the rise of the United States into the position of a world power. Prior to this unit, we learned about domestic issues that were the focus of the progressive era reform efforts. During this unit we will examine early twentieth century foreign policy in the United States, including the decision to partake in the Spanish-American War, increasing economic influence around the world, movements toward expansionism, and involvement in the First World War (WWI).

4. Progressive Era (1890-1920) Rise to World Power (1890-1920)
Economic Reforms
Political Reforms
Social Reforms
Spanish American War (1898)
Yellow-Journalism
Cuba
DeLome Letter
Sinking of the Maine
American Expansionism
New Market
New territories
China
Open Door Policy
Panama Canal
World War I
Sussex Pledge
Zimmerman Telegram
New Weapons & Warfare
Alvin York
Treaty of Versailles
Wilson 14 Points

5. Why did the U.S. become more involved with the world?
American Imperialism
Imperialism – Policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories.

6. Reasons for American Imperialism
Desire for Military Strength
European nations were establishing a global military presence and the U.S. needed to keep up.
U.S. became the third largest navy in the world. Built 9 steel-hulled cruisers.
Alfred T. Mahan – urged the government to build up the navy to compete with other nations. He was a historian and author of a book on the importance of the navy to a country’s power

7. Discussion Question: Talk with your shoulder partners
Alfred T. Mahan supported the idea of naval dominance as a way to position the U.S. into world power. Why do you think the navy was important to Mahan?

8. Reasons for American imperialism
Thirst for New Markets
America needed new markets to sell agricultural and manufactured goods and to get raw materials from.
Reasons for new markets
raw materials for factories
new markets for its agriculture
new markets for manufactured goods

9. Reasons for American Imperialism
Belief in Cultural Superiority
The U.S. had a responsibility to spread Christianity and civilization to the inferior peoples of the world.
Cultural Superiority
social Darwinism
racial superiority of Anglo-Saxons
Spread Christianity

10. ***Important Concept:
As the United States takes over territory, it expands its markets and gains access to resources.

11. American Imperialism and Alfred T. Mahan
(7:08)

12. Critical Writing Question #1
Day 1: As the United States gained more territories, what was the effect on the U.S.? How did Alfred Thayer Mahan play a role in American Imperialism?

13. Synthetic Snowball
American Imperialism is like… because……