• Why did Americans explore the possibilities of national expansion and imperialism in the late 19^th century?
• Did the Spanish-American War define a fundamental shift in American foreign policy? In what way?
• What purpose did the Open Door Notes serve for American foreign policy?

After completing this unit, students should be able to

• define imperialism and explain how it impacted America
• articulate the differences between the imperialists/expansionists and the anti-imperialists

• list the causes of the Spanish American War.
• relate the war to the larger political debate over American imperialism
• articulate the key positions of people in the controversy over the Philippines.
• analyze the short-term successes and failures of the Open Door Notes

Many Americans felt that their burgeoning economic power and the moral authority of their democratic society entitled them to exert greater influence over this brave yet frightening new world. They disagreed considerably over the means and ends of doing so, however. Some Americans wanted to enter the imperial sweepstakes directly. Others favored the use of indirect means, such as U.S. economic power or moral suasion, to preserve global opportunities for American commerce and moderate the worst effects of European imperialism. Still others wanted to remain politically aloof from the wars and quarrels of the larger world.

The public debate over the future global role of the United States soon had a particular policy focus: how to respond to a bloody rebellion against Spanish colonial rule in Cuba. U.S. public pressure for intervention grew following a series of inflammatory incidents in early 1898, which included the explosion of the battleship Maine. With its victory in the Spanish-American War the United States claimed status as a global political-military power. President William McKinley’s decision to annex the Philippine islands galvanized anti-imperialist sentiment. The anti-imperialists fought against Senate ratification of the peace treaty with Spain in early 1899; and then tried to foil President McKinley’s reelection bid in 1900. McKinley won these political battles but a Filipino rebellion against U.S. rule, which was suppressed at considerable humanitarian cost, discouraged Americans from seeking a full-blown overseas empire.

Meanwhile, the European imperial powers and Japan seemed on the verge of partitioning the once-fabled Chinese Empire. In 1899-1900, Secretary of State John Hay issued what became known as the Open Door Notes. Secretary Hay called on those foreign powers involved in China to respect the rights of each other, to agree to an open market and equal trading opportunities, and to respect the territorial and administrative integrity of China. The Open Door Notes were an important step in the process by which the United States asserted a distinctive and expansive set of interests in East Asia.

Throughout this unit, students will be able to explore the rising tensions between the United States and other countries as they raced to develop empires and create economic opportunities around the globe.

Review the lesson plan. Locate and bookmark suggested materials and links from EDSITEment reviewed websites used in this lesson. Download and print out selected documents and duplicate copies as necessary for student viewing. Alternatively, excerpted versions of these documents are available as part of the downloadable PDF file.

Download the Text Document for this lesson, available here as a PDF. This file contains excerpted versions of the documents used in the learning activity, as well as questions for students to answer. Print out and make an appropriate number of copies of the handouts you plan to use in class.

There are two web interactives for the students. Accompanying Lesson 2 is the interactive on the Spanish American War and for Lesson 4 there is one about the Open Door Notes. Take time to make yourself familiar with these interactives prior to giving them to the students.

In addition, if your students need assistance with primary source documents, the following EDSITEment-reviewed websites may be useful:

• The Learning Page at the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress
• National Archives, Teaching with Documents

Unit Lesson Plans

There are four lessons in this unit, each of which is designed to stand alone but when combined together portray a dramatic era for America and the world. It is recommended that you use all four lesson plans for students to be able to grasp the magnitude of world events from this time period. However, if you do not have enough time to complete all four lessons, it is suggested that you focus on lessons 2 and 4 to provide students with enough background information for future 20^th century world events.

• Lesson 1: The Question of an American Empire
• Lesson 2: The Spanish-American War
• Lesson 3: The Matter of the Philippines
• Lesson 4: Imperialism and the Open Door