How did the United States become a global imperial power?
Preview this unit for the table of contents, a student reading excerpt, and one lesson plan. Preview all units.
Additional unit descriptions for the U.S. History Series that summarize key events, people, and terms, as well as underrepresented histories and skill development are available, along with a timeline, on this MIRO board.
Teachers: Are you still using Reluctant Colossus: America Enters the Age of Imperialism OR Beyond Manifest Destiny: America Enters the Age of Imperialism? We retired those units and recommend that you no longer use them. This unit serves an updated and improved replacement for those units. Please contact our office at choices@brown.edu if you have any questions.
First Edition. May 2021. – The history of U.S. imperial expansion at the turn of the twentieth century has often been taught as if it were a major departure from the nation’s historical record both before and since. In contrast, Imperial America: U.S. Global Expansion, 1890-1915 shows how the United States’ acquisition of overseas colonies after the War of 1898 was actually part of a much longer history of U.S. imperialism. In this curriculum, students explore the historical connections between the United States’ creation of a settler colonial empire in North America (what is often called “westward expansion”) and the nation’s acquisition of an overseas colonial empire following the War of 1898. Students learn about the history of U.S. colonial rule in the territories acquired at the turn of the twentieth century. Students also examine the various ways U.S. imperial power continued to expand in the early twentieth century—even without the acquisition of additional colonies. Resistance to U.S. imperialism is a key theme throughout this curriculum. Students examine various forms of political, legal, social, cultural, and armed resistance movements to U.S. imperialism in North America, the nation’s overseas colonial territories, and beyond. The unit is divided into three parts. Each part includes:
- Student readings
- Accompanying study guides, graphic organizers, and key terms
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Lessons aligned with the readings that develop analytical skills and can be completed in one or more periods
- Videos that feature leading experts
This unit includes additional synthesis lessons that allow students to synthesize new knowledge for assessment. You do not need to use the entire unit; feel free to select what suits your classroom needs.
“Choices curriculum provides depth in international content that is easily accessible for high school students so they can then consider United States history, its place in the world, and foreign policy options.” – Rhonda, Social Studies Teacher, Montana