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Cornell Note Questions
Date:
**First Set of Notes for the Second Nine Weeks**
Cornell Notes: Imperialism - Becoming a World Power
1860 – 1900
Introduction:
Even as the United States itself changed dramatically, our relationship with other countries and our role in
the world also changed. We began a policy of ______________________ or expansionism - we began
to expand our territory and our political and economic influence on other countries.
I. American Expansion Oversees:
Why did the United States begin to take more interest in world affairs in the late 1800s?
Economic Reasons:
A. ____________________________ - As you know, there is incredible factory
growth in the United States in the late 1800s. In the 1880s, the United States
began to search for new places to sell its goods and resources.
Political Reasons:
B. European Imperialism and Colonization – In the late 1800s Europe began
to colonize underdeveloped areas of the world such as Africa and Asia. They
Factory in the late 1800s
did this to get natural resources for industrialization. The USA did not want
Europe to get too much control and so began expanding its control to other countries. This is
called___________________________ – the economic and political domination of a stronger nation
over a weaker one.
C. ______________________________ - Having claimed land from the Atlantic Ocean to the
Pacific Ocean, Americans now look beyond its borders for land.
Social Reasons:
D. “______________________________” or Anglo-Saxonism – That white people or “Western
civilization” had an obligation to spread their culture, beliefs and Christianity to other parts of the
world such as Africa and Asia.
Words to Use:
Alfred T. Mahan
colony
Economic markets
Imperialism (2)
Manifest Destiny
natural resources
navy
ports
Whiteman’s Burden
Military Reasons:
 In 1890, Captain _____________________ wrote a very influential book
called The Influence of Sea Power on History. In this book he stated the
idea that throughout history, all strong countries had a strong navy. The
USA will intentionally create a strong _____________________ to spread
its power.

Naval ships sailing across the world need to refuel and get food. This will
be a major reason for exerting our influence in the Pacific Ocean so that we
could have ________________ for our navy.
Captain Alfred Mahan
II. Expansionism, NOT Colonialism:
While the USA does expand, it does not colonize as Europe was doing. Reasons:
A. America had numerous ______________________________ (unlike Europe) and did not need to
expand as much.
B. America had been a ___________________ of England. We were the first colony to declare our
independence – “the shot heard ‘round the world.” We were very aware of what it was like to be a
colony of another country and so part of our foreign policy was to avoid colonialism.
III. Examples of American Expansion:
Much of the Expansion of the United States will take place in two parts of the world: The islands of
the __________________________ and the ________________________________.
A. ___________________________ - in 1853, Commodore Matthew C. Perry forces Japan to open to
world trade.
B. ___________________________- William Seward buys Alaska from Russia in 1867. It is
called Seward’s Folly because most people thought that Alaska had nothing to offer. In time,
however, it was found that Alaska had many natural resources such as gold and oil.
C. _________________________ – The USA enters into a protectorate agreement with Samoa. A
____________________________ means that the smaller country (Samoa) keeps its government, but
it can look to the larger country (USA) for protection.
D. ____________________ - Had long economic ties with the United States due to sugar plantations.
American sugar plantation owners overthrew the Hawaiian queen. Eventually Hawaii will become a
territory of the United States and then a state.
Cornell Note Summary:
I learned that _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Words to Use:
Alaska
Caribbean Islands
Hawaii
Japan
Pacific Ocean
protectorate
Samoan Islands
A map showing American Expansionism by 1900
Cornell Note Questions
Date:
Cornell Notes: Causes of the Spanish American War 1898
Introduction:
Remember that the terms ______________________________ and expansionism refer to the period
of time in the late 1800s where United States began to expand its influence on other countries and its
territory. The reasons for the expansion during this time are: economic markets, competition with
Europe, the idea of “white man’s burden” (Anglo-Saxonism) and a growing
_______________________.
I. The Spanish American War 1898
One of the first tests of the United States as a world power came during the Spanish American War. The
Spanish American War was between the United States and ________________________. It was fought
mostly over ____________________, a colony of Spain. Cuba was trying to get its independence from
Spain and the United States supported Cuba in its quest for independence.
II. The Causes of the _____________________________ War
1. Spain’s poor treatment of the Cuban people.
a. Cubans were fighting for their independence. Spain did not want Cuba to be independent and
fought the rebels to prevent it.
b. As a result, in 1896, Spain, under General Weyler implemented what they called a
______________________________. Under this policy, people living in rural areas had 8 days to
move into fortified towns or they would be shot. The goal was to separate the rebels and the
peasants that might help them.
c. The towns the peasants were forced to move into were terrible. There
was little food and disease spread quickly. By 1898 one third of Cuba’s
population had been forced to move. Over 400,000 Cubans died because of
the Reconcentration Policy.
Reason for the term
“yellow journalism”
– the “yellow kid”
from the cartoon
Hogan’s Alley
Words to Use:
Cuba
De Lôme
Imperialism
navy
Reconcentration Policy
Spain
Spanish-American
Yellow journalism (2)
2. ________________________ - when news stories are made up or
exaggerated to attract readers.
a. Yellow journalism techniques include:
Large headlines
Sensational stories – not always truthful
The use of color
Bones of Reconcentration Victims
b. __________________________________________ and the Spanish American War
William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer – the publishers of the two major
New York newspapers – used yellow journalism to sell newspapers and stir up
anti-Spanish feelings. These stories told of female prisoners, execution by
shark, starvation and other tales designed to have Americans sympathize with
the Cubans. These feelings will help to lead to the war.
3. ____________________________ Letter - February 1898
a. The Spanish insult President McKinley calling him weak.
This letter, written by the Spanish Ambassador to the United States, Enrique
Dupuy de Lôme, criticized American President William McKinley by calling
him weak and concerned only with gaining the support of the people.
b. The newspapers printed the letter and Americans were angered by the insult
against their president. This stirs up even more anti-Spanish feeling.
Example of Yellow
Journalism
3. Our own expansionist ideas – the idea that we should expand our territory and become a
world power
Words to Use:
Maine
Spain
***4. The Explosion of the USS ______________________ on February 15, 1898 The American
ship explodes in Havana, Cuba harbor killing 268 American sailors. America (especially the
newspapers) blame ______________________. In reality, the ship probably exploded because of a
mechanical fault. “Remember the Maine!” becomes a rallying cry for going to war.
Cornell Note Summary:
I learned that ___________________________________________________
_________________________ __________________________________________
The USS Maine
The USS Maine after the explosion in 1898
Examples of Yellow Journalism after the Explosion of the
USS Maine