THE AMERICAS POST CIVIL WAR TO WWI RESEARCH PAPER AND PRESENTATION

After the United States answered the slavery question and unified as a nation, they began to complete their process of Manifest Destiny as well as look outward from the United States. From a second tier country in the mid-nineteenth century to a world power after WWI, the ascent of the United States was a sea change in world geopolitics. The changes of the United States had great effects on both Canada and Latin America. These were tumultuous times and were critical in the changing world environment.

In order for you to have a deeper understanding of the events that led to the ascent of the United States and the subsequent recognition of the other countries in the Western Hemisphere, you will be writing a 1200-2000 word research paper on an area of your interest. Following are some suggested areas of study, but if you have one that you would like to pursue, just ask me for approval prior to beginning. This paper will count for 5% of your semester grade.

The presentation with be in pairs and will count for 5% of your semester grade, as well. Please try to limit the presentation to under 30 minutes. Again, only use power point presentations for this assignment.

Your primary source for your investigation will be your course companion textbook, Overthrow by Kinzer, The History of Canada by McNaught, and A History of Latin America by Keen and Haynes. I have other books available and as you decide and choose your topic, you may reference those books, as well. Also, there are numerous websites on this period in history. They will be essential to your research.

SUGGESTED TOPICAL AREAS:

  1. Manifest Destiny from 1870-1900 in the United States
  2. Government legislation to support the move west
  3. Developing the West
  4. Impact on Native Americans
  5. Assimilation of Hispanics
  6. Growth of the South
  1. Political, social and economic changes in the second half of the 19th century in the United States
  2. “The Great Surge”
  3. Money, Banking and Finance-Greenbacks, Silver
  4. Evolution of the labor movement
  5. Women and child labor
  6. Government and Supreme Court impact
  1. The origins of the populist movement
  2. The city and farm from 1865-1900
  3. Impact of immigration
  4. Election of 1892- silver vs. gold; Coxey’s Army
  5. Election of 1896
  6. Culture and amusements in the late 1800s
  7. Intellectuals
  1. U.S. Foreign policy: 1877-1910
  2. Causes and Outcomes of the Spanish/American War
  3. Hawaii-overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani
  4. The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
  5. Policies with Latin America- Panama and Colombia
  1. The Teddy Roosevelt, Taft and the start of progressivism
  2. State progressivism
  3. The Roosevelt leadership/Congress/ “Square Deal”
  4. The conservation movement
  5. Taft’s presidency
  1. The Wilson Era and progressivism
  2. The election of 1912
  3. The reform president-legislation
  4. Society in the progressive era
  5. Economic growth, the growth of cities, corporations and consumerism
  6. A new middle class
  7. The “muckrakers”
  8. An ethnic mosaic
  1. The U.S. and WWI
  2. Neutrality 1914-1917
  3. Lusitania and Zimmerman Telegram
  4. At war 1917-1918
  5. Resistance from the left and libertarians
  6. Women and the war
  1. Canada, Latin America and WWI
  2. Canada’s involvement and perception of WWI
  3. Canada’s approach to Great Britain
  4. The U.S., Latin America and Dollar Diplomacy
  5. Latin American involvement
  1. Political, social and economic changes in Canada; 1867-1917
  2. Pragmatism and diplomacy
  3. The policies of Mackenzie
  4. The iron spike and Regina Scaffold
  5. The Laurier government
  6. Canadian nationalism in the early 20th century
  1. Political, social and economic changes in Latin America; 1867-1917
  1. The new colonialism
  2. Mexican politics and economy
  3. Argentine politics and economy
  4. Chilean politics and economy
  5. Brazilian politics and economy
  6. Central American politics and economy
  7. The Mexican Revolution 1910-1920

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