Chapters 23-26: Political Paralysis in the Gilded Age, Industry Comes of Age, America Moves to the City, & The Great West and the Agricultural Revolution, 1865-1900
Well, that's a mouthful. Not surprisingly, I suppose: it is 35 years of history. After the Civil War, the United States changed dramatically, both as a nation and at the individual level. Americans began to do things very differently than their ancestors had; perhaps no change was greater than the movement toward urbanization. Whereas Thomas Jefferson had dreamed of a society where every American had a small farm; the reality was that during this period, more Americans lived in cities than at any point before (a trend that has continued, by the way).
Because of the breadth of the material, take a look at the videos below. Once they're submitted, I'll also be posting each class's Jigsaw presentations on the chapters. The jigsaw assignment, as well as the study guides, are posted above.
Because of the breadth of the material, take a look at the videos below. Once they're submitted, I'll also be posting each class's Jigsaw presentations on the chapters. The jigsaw assignment, as well as the study guides, are posted above.
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Chapter 27: The Path of Empire, 1890-1899
The United States ran out of frontier in 1848, when, after the Mexican War, California became part of the United States (Oregon and Washington had already joined the United States in 1846). After taking a "time-out" from expansion for the Civil War, the United States resumed its expansionist tendencies full-force in the last 1890s.
The Spanish-American War is one of the briefest conflicts that the United States has ever fought (it lasted only 113 days), but it made an indelible impact on the way that the entire 20th century played out. The Spanish-American War was the triumphant announcement of the arrival of the United States on the world stage. |
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Also, if you get the chance, and you're serious about wanting to understand what US Imperialism was all about, you should definitely watch the video to the right. By this point in the year, John Green may well be getting on your nerves, but this video is really good... and really important. If I were trying to pick a pivotal moment in American history, or at least in the parts of history that are covered in this class, I would absolutely go with the Spanish-American War.
Also, for some context, you should check out Rudyard Kipling's very famous (and controversial) poem, "The White Man's Burden." For some context, check out this site, which includes some modern-day applications of the poem, and of US Imperialism. |
Chapter 28: America on the World Stage, 1899-1909
Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest President of the United States of America when he took office after William McKinley was assassinated. He was also one of the coolest Presidents... right up there with Andrew Jackson in terms of whacked-out craziness. Roosevelt, however, is a more colorful figure in the minds of many Americans, not least because of Robin Williams' portrayal of him in the Night at the Museum franchise.
After assuming the mantle of the Presidency, Roosevelt stepped out into the world and helped to shape the office as one which was used to determine how the world worked. Most of the American Presidents who came after Teddy Roosevelt are considerably more beloved if they used the position to shape world affairs, such as John F. Kennedy or Ronald Reagan, than if they used the position to hide out from the rest of the world, like Calvin Coolidge. |