Rise of a World Power unit contains 7 learning experiences.
Learning Experiences (Lessons) in Rise of a World Power Each learning experience takes about 45 minutes to teach in the device-enabled classroom.
Rise of a World Power: Vocabulary
Students engage with key vocabulary related to the role of the United States in international affairs of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The experience can be used as an introduction or a review at the end of the unit.
The Spanish-American War
Students learn why the Spanish-American War is considered a turning point in U.S. history. First they engage with the topic by learning the source of “yellow journalism,” a term that originated in relation to the Spanish-American War. Then they examine the Cuban and Philippine campaigns of the war. Next they explain the U.S. interests in annexing Hawaii. Finally, they analyze the causes and outcomes of the Spanish-American War.
U.S. Expansionism and the Panama Canal
Students learn about the connection between Theodore Roosevelt and the Teddy bear. Then they examine Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” foreign policy. Next they learn about the role of the United States in the building of the Panama Canal, and they analyze political cartoons about this feat. Finally they summarize an excerpt by Alfred Thayer Mahan and evaluate how it predicted the development of the United States into a world power.
The United States Enters World War I
Students think back to what they know about the American Revolution to state the causes of the war. Then they learn about the trigger event and the underlying main causes of the Great War. Next they examine Wilson’s approach to neutrality and the events that led the United States to enter the war. Finally they read about the Espionage Act and Schenck v. U.S., and they write their opinion for the plaintiff or the defendant.
The U.S. Home Front During World War I
Students brainstorm ways that Americans on the home front could contribute to the war effort. Then they read how the U.S. government financed the war and create a pie chart of the major sources of funding. They examine how the war affected the U.S. economy. Next they read an essay about women’s work during World War I, and they make a prediction of how this shift affected the role of women in post-war United States. Finally they look at an online exhibit of World War I posters, choose one, and identify the theme of the poster.
Making Peace
Students brainstorm which holiday is celebrated on November 11. Then they create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the Fourteen Points and the Treaty of Versailles. Next they learn about the debate over U.S. membership in the League of Nations, and they write a short speech for or against the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles. Finally they evaluate a quote about America’s role as a world power and create a timeline to illustrate the main idea of the quote.
