U.S. History & Government: Grade 11

Lesson Description:
In this lesson students will be given a host of primary documents that they will work with in order to learn about diverse viewpoints on U.S. imperialism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

NYS Social Studies Standard:
#1 History of the United States and New York

• Key Idea 2 - Important ideas, social and cultural values, beliefs, and traditions from New York State and United States History illustrate the connections and interactions of people and events across time and from a variety of perspectives.
• Key Idea 3 - Study about the major social, political, economic, cultural, and religious developments in N.Y. and U.S. history involves learning about the important roles and contributions of individuals and groups.
• Key Idea 4 - The skills of historical analysis include the ability to explain the significance of historical evidence; weigh the importance of changing and competing interpretations of different historical developments.

Document Series:
1. Kipling's "White Man's Burden" (1899) and Anti-Imperialist David Greene Haskins's "What is the White Man's Burden?" (1900)

2. Pears' Soap Advertisement (1899) and Cartoon on the Cost of the White Man's (1900) Burden

3. William McKinley, Excerpt from a 1903 Interview and Filipino leader Emilio Aguinaldo's "Manifesto" (1899)

Instructional Objectives: SWBAT

• Didactic: Describe the primary documents
• Reflective: Analyze and compare & contrast the messages conveyed in the primary documents.
• Affective: Evaluate the extent to which Imperialism was a justifiable policy for the US.

Time & Materials:
Time - 1 class period
Materials- Primary Documents

Procedures:
Students will work together in groups of 2-3 to examine the documents. They will examine and analyze each document on their own, capturing the key points on worksheets (see Putney 2A & 2B below). After examining the first series of documents, the students will compare and contrast the different perspectives. Students will move (carousel) and repeat the procedure using document series 2 and 3. The teacher will then ask groups to give a brief oral presentation on a given document. Additional feedback will be allowed from others. When the students have analyzed the documents, the teacher will facilitate a discussion that focuses on whether or not imperialism was a justifiable policy. The group will vote on whether they support a policy of imperialism or not. They must develop sound arguments that defend their position.

Assessment:
- Observation of student responses regarding the documents
- Completion of primary document analysis sheet
- Assignment-- DBQ Essay on US Imperialism

Closure:
Student restatement of and verbal affirmation of the teaching objectives

Extensions & Connections:
Are there parallels between the foreign policy of the present with the past? A debate could be arranged or a role play could be made that would mimic the Imperialists and the Anti-Imperialists of the late 19th and early 20th century.