Instructions: Should the United States be considered an imperialistic power or a liberating nation between 1890 and 1920? For this assignment, you will compare the impact that America had before World War I to the American experience as a world military power after the start of World War I. You will write an essay comparing two specific policies or events, one from 1890–1914 to another from 1914–1920, to support your argument. Your essay should include discussion about conflicting American and international perspectives on U.S. intervention.
Complete the following steps to develop your essay:
- 1: Choose one U.S. intervention from 1890–1914 and one from 1914–1920. Gather details and compare facts as you begin your research.
- 2: From your research findings, choose one visual or print primary source that addresses controversy or differences of opinion regarding these U.S. interventions. Appropriate visual primary sources include posters, political cartoons, paintings, film clips, and propaganda.
- 3: From your research findings, choose two appropriate scholarly sources. Your sources may include print primary sources, which is an account, item, or data generated in the historical period by a participant or witness. Print primary sources also include parts of speeches, debates, and newspaper editorials.
- 4: Critically analyze your research and draw conclusions from the comparison and the range of opinion reflected. Prepare a thesis statement. Your thesis statement should offer your reader your specific insight into the outcomes and perspectives up to 1920 based on the data you considered.
Use the following guidelines to help decide on your thesis statement:
Ensure that your thesis is about the period 1890–1920 only.
Ask yourself what the comparison suggests about changes in the nature and scope of U.S. interventions in this period.
Ask yourself whether those interventions resulted in control, economic advantage, democratization, and/or liberation, partially, wholly, or not at all by 1920.
Ask yourself whether there were impacts on the American economy and society by 1920.
Ask yourself how the primary source (visual or print) was shaped by its time and environment.
Ask yourself how the primary source reflects a range of views, debates, and/or controversies within the United States about international interventions to 1920.