Skip to Main Content

Lesson

The Rise of American Power in the World

Duration
180 min
Published
Nov 5, 2020
Illustration of an eagle over a map of the United States with locations labeled, dated 1898.
The late nineteenth century ushered in great changes in how the United States interacted with the rest of the world. For the first century of its existence, the United States traded with other countries, acquired territory for continental expansion, and fought in a few major wars. However, the United States was generally neutral in world affairs and focused on its domestic situation. That would change when America entered the world stage as a major global power. This expansion into world affairs led to an internal American debate regarding its international powers and responsibilities. Americans also struggled over the character of its foreign affairs—whether America would engage the world with military power or whether it would spread democracy around the world.

Founding Principles

Due Process, Equality, Federalism, Freedom of Speech, Limited Government, Property Rights, Rule of Law, Separation of Powers

Objectives

  • Students will trace the changes in American foreign policy in the Gilded Age and World War I era.
  • Students will identify the key causes and consequences of the United States’ shift toward a more active role in the world in the 1890s.
  • Students will analyze the debates in the U.S. surrounding the Spanish-American War, the annexation of the Philippines, entry into World War I, and entry into the League of Nations.

Materials

Lesson Components

ActivityHandout A: Background Essay: The Rise of American Power in the World
ActivityHandout B: The Evolution of American Foreign Policy
ActivityHandout C: Tracking Foreign Policy Changes
ActivityHandout D: The Debate on the Annexation of the Philippines
ActivityHandout E: The Debate on Ratification of the League of Nations Covenant
Sign in as an educator to view teacher materialsSign in →

Lesson plan

  1. Activity I » 30 minutes
    Distribute Handout A: Background Essay: The Rise of American Power in the World to your students and have them read the essay and answer the review questions. This activity may alternatively be completed as homework the night before the lesson.

    Activity II » 60 Minutes

    1. Distribute Handout B: The Evolution of American Foreign Policy to your students and have them read the document, taking note of the changes in foreign policy over time.
    2. Distribute copies of Handout C: Tracking Changes in Foreign Policy. Follow the directions included in Handout C.

    Activity III » 60 Minutes

    1. Distribute Handout D: The Debate on the Annexation of the Philippines to your students and have them read the document, taking note of the primary arguments which were levied by individuals on either side of the debate.
    2. Prepare for a live debate in the classroom.
      • Divide students into two factions: pro-annexation and anti-annexation. Give each side fifteen minutes to prepare a five-minute speech in favor of their position, drawing from their readings. Each group should select one person to deliver this speech. The pro-annexation speaker should speak first, followed by the anti-annexation speaker. Next, give each speaker two minutes to cross-examine one another.
      • Give both teams five minutes to prepare a new, five-minute speech in which they attack the opposing side’s position and re-assert without repeating points that were made previously. Different individuals should deliver this speech. After their speeches are complete, they should cross-examine one another for two minutes.
      • With one minute for preparation time, each team will send a final speaker to deliver a final, one-minute summary of their argument in favor of their position.
    3. After the debate is finished, conduct an anonymous vote to see which side was more persuasive.

    Activity IV » 30 Minutes

    1. Break the students up into small groups. Distribute Handout E: The Debate on the Ratification of the League of Nations Covenant to your students and have them read the documents. Ask the groups to read and analyze the documents and fill in the graphic organizer for each document to reflect whether it supports or opposes the United States joining the League of Nations.
    2. Discuss the answers the students give and have them justify their answers with specific evidence from the primary source quotes.

Key Terms

Monroe Doctrine
Annexation
Alaska Purchase
Yellow journalism
Humanitarianism

Standards

Advanced Placement

  • National

Check whether this resource aligns with your state’s standards →

Related materials

Colorful depiction of the USS Maine explosion in Havana Harbor, with ships and debris in the background.
EssayRemember the Maine! Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders

By the end of this section, you will explain the effects of the Spanish-American War.

A man wearing a hat and glasses, dressed in a military-style uniform, stands outdoors with a neutral expression.
LessonThe Great Day in My Life: Theodore Roosevelt, the Charge at San Juan Hill, and Courage

In this lesson, students will learn about Theodore Roosevelt, who exercised courage to overcome illness and to lead troops in Cuba. They will also consider how to cultivate and apply courage in their own lives.

Nine soldiers in military uniforms pose for a group photo, some wearing medals, on a ship.
EssayOver There: The U.S. Soldier in World War I

By the end of this section, you will explain the causes and consequences of U.S. involvement in World War I.

A historical black and white photo of a submarine with crew members on deck in a harbor setting.
EssayAmerica Enters World War I

Why did the U.S. become involved in World War I?

Video cover for AP US History Prep focusing on Imperialism, WWI, and the Roaring Twenties (1898-1929).
Webinar2021 AP US History Prep with Tom Richey #7 | Imperialism, World War I, & the Roaring Twenties (1898-1929)

In this session, we focus on developments in American foreign policy at the turn of the twentieth century, focusing on Imperialism, World War I, and the Versailles Treaty, as well as on cultural and economic developments of the 1920s.