American Expansion
8th Grade American Expansion Inquiry
Was American Expansion Abroad Justified?
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Supporting Question 1- What conditions influenced the United State's expansion abroad?
  • Source A: Essay titled "The United States Becomes World Power"
  • Source B: Excerpts from The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783
  • Source C: Excerpts from the National Republican Party platform of 1898
Supporting Question 2- What arguments were made in favor of imperialism and the Spanish-American War?
  • Source A: New York Journal front page from February 17,1898
  • Source B: Source bank: Spanish atrocities in Cuba
  • Source C: Senator Albert Beveridge's campaign speech on war with Spain
Supporting Question 3- What arguments were made in oppostion to imperialism and the Spanish-American War?
  • Source A: Anti-Imperialist League platform (excerpts), 1899. Public domain. From Speeches, Correspondence and Political Papers of Carl Schurz, edited by Frederic Bancroft. Copyright © 1913. G.P. Putnam’s Sons. http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/ralph/workbook/ralprs30a.htm.
  • Source B: "Imperialism: Flag of an Empire"
  • Source C: Excerpts from Mark Twain's published anti-imperialism critiques
  • Source D: Expansion
Supporting Question 4- What were the results of US involvement in the Spanish-American War?
  • Source A: Map of American expansion 1867-1899, 2015