Classroom Resource

American Expansion

Subject Area

Social Studies

Grade(s)

5, 11

Overview

In this learning activity, students investigate the positive and negative results of United States expansion abroad. The focus is on the United States' involvement in the Spanish American War. Resources included are a newspaper front page from 1898, an article from the Los Angeles Herald from 1898 depicting starvation in Cuba, a cartoon criticizing imperialism from 1902, and a map of American expansion.

Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 5

SS10.5.13

Describe social and economic influences on United States’ expansion prior to World War I.

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.5.13

Vocabulary

  • social influences
  • economic influences
  • expansion
  • transcontinental railroads
  • Manifest Destiny
  • geographic features
  • acquired
  • Westward Expansion
  • ranchers
  • Mormons
  • Hispanics
  • frontier
  • emergence

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Social and economic influences on United States' expansion prior to World War I.
  • How the development of transcontinental railroads contributed to the expansion of the United States and related to the concept of Manifest Destiny.
  • Details related to how the United States acquired Alaska and Hawaii.
  • Major groups and individuals involved with the Westward Expansion, including farmers, ranchers, Jewish merchants, Mormons, and Hispanics.
  • The impact of closing the frontier on American Indians' way of life.
  • The Spanish-American War led to the emergence of the United States as a world power.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Locate states and capitals on a physical and political map.
  • Describe and explain social and economic influences on the United States expansion.
  • Explain and evaluate the concept of Manifest Destiny.
  • Describe and explain how the development of the transcontinental railroads helped the United States achieve its Manifest Destiny.
  • Identify and analyze the impact of Manifest Destiny on a variety of cultural groups.
  • Explain and analyze how the Spanish-American War led to the United States becoming a world power.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There were social, political, and economic influences on United States prior to World War I.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 11 - United States History II

SS10.US2.3

Explain the United States’ changing role in the early twentieth century as a world power. [A.1.a., A.1.b., A.1.c., A.1.d., A.1.e., A.1.f., A.1.i., A.1.k.]

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.US2.3

Vocabulary

  • Spanish-American War
  • imperialism
  • annexation
  • global role

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The internal and external factors that resulted in changes in America's role as a world power during the early 20th Century. Factors that lead to the Spanish-American War and the consequences of the war.
  • Theodore Roosevelt's involvement in the Spanish-American War and its role in his popularity and involvement in politics.
  • Social, political, and economic causes for the United State's involvement in the Hawaiian Islands.
  • The contributions of Alabama and Alabamians to the United States between Reconstruction and World War I.
  • Consequences of political policies, such as the Open Door policy and the Roosevelt Corollary on American economic and geographic interests.
  • Policies and leadership of American presidents during the early 20th Century.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Describe the internal and external factors that result in changes in the development of a specific country during a specific time period and the consequences of these changes.
  • Evacuate factors that lead to war and the consequences of the war.
  • Discuss the effects of popularity on political power.
  • Analyze the social, political, and economic causes for the United State's involvement in other countries and regions.
  • Appraise the contributions of Alabama and Alabamians to the United States during specific historical periods.
  • Evaluate the consequences of political policies, such as the Open Door policy and the Roosevelt Corollary on American economic and geographic interests.
  • Compare the policies and leadership of influential political, economic, and social leaders.
  • Analyze primary and secondary sources.
  • Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There were many causes and consequences of the changes in the United States' role as it became a global power during the early 20th Century.
Link to Resource
http://www.c3teachers.org/inquiries/american-expansion/

CR Resource Type

Learning Activity

Resource Provider

College Career & Civic Life (C3)
Accessibility
License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

http://www.c3teachers.org/about-c3-teachers/

Approved Date

mgsaboyd
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