Transcript Evaluate the impact of Napoleon Bonaparte on world history.

Writing Assistance
Foreign Policy—
Spanish-American War
Step 1&2: Use active
reading strategies to
understand the task.
Theme: Foreign Policy
During the course of its history,
the United States has taken
foreign policy actions that have
been consistent with the national
interest.
Task:
Identify two events in United States history
that demonstrate how the United States has
promoted the national interest by taking
foreign policy actions and for each event:
• Discuss the historical circumstances that led
the United States to take that action
• Evaluate the success or failure of that
foreign policy action in promoting the
national interest of the United States
Discuss means “examine and
talk about all sides of a
subject or issue in a carefully
organized manner.”
Evaluate means “to judge or
determine the significance,
worth, or quality of; assess.”
Step 3: Formulate a
preliminary claim (it
might need revision
later).
During the course of its history, the United States has
taken foreign policy actions that have been consistent
with the national interest.
The United States’ war with Spain in 1898
was a foreign policy that, despite its
rhetoric, was pursued for national interest.
Rhetoric is speech or
discourse that
pretends to
significance but lacks
true meaning.
The Spanish-American was fought to
kick the Spanish out of Cuba.
Politicians claimed that we were
fighting it to help Cuba. But after
the Spanish are forced to give Cuba
independence, the American
companies built factories there and
used Cuba as a source for cheap
labor.
Steps 4 & 5: Collect
information and
record it on a graphic
organizer.
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy
SpanishAmerican
War
(1898)
Historical Circumstances
SPECIFIC long-term effect
HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Cuba—part of the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire was weak and was losing control of its colonies
Mexico, for instance, gained independence in 1821
American newspapers began printing stories in the late 1800’s
about Spanish mistreatment of the Cubans
Many of these stories were examples of yellow journalism—a
term used to describe exaggerated news stories designed to sell
newspapers
Because of these stories, many Americans supported the idea of
helping Cuba gain independence
In 1898, an American naval ship, the USS Maine, exploded in
Havana, Cuba.
Newspaper stories blamed the Spanish, sparking an outcry for an
American war against the Spanish in Cuba.
HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES
America easily defeats the Spanish in this quick war
The most famous event of the war was future president Teddy
Roosevelt becoming a national hero when he led the Rough
Riders on an attack up San Juan Hill
The Spanish left Cuba as a result of the war, but Cuba did not get
full independence as they hoped
American businesses saw Cuba as:
• a new market for their goods,
• a source for cheap labor and
• a way around the new government regulations that were
being passed during the Progressive Movement that was
underway
American business built factories there and took advantage of
the Cubans in much the same way the Spanish did
SPECIFIC IMPACT
Cuba was controlled by American businesses and, informally, by the
American government for a long time after the Spanish-America war.
In 1959, the American supported dictator, Baptiste, was overthrown by
Cuban rebels led by Fidel Castro.
Once he gained control of the island, Castro announced that he was
making the country communist.
He nationalized all businesses in Cuban, placing them under
government control, including American businesses.
To try to retaliate, the United States, led by President John F. Kennedy,
eventually put an embargo on all trade with Cuba.
The embargo did not work. Cuba remained communist and the
embargo has remained in effect, through President Barrack Obama is
about to lift it.
Step 6: Revisit your
claim. Revise it, if
necessary.
Step 7: Write your
response, using your
graphic organizer to guide
you. Make sure your
points are in a logical
order.
Step 8: Re-read and edit
your response. Remember,
capitalization counts in this
class.