President William McKinley America Becomes Big President William McKinley

Vocabulary Panama Canal-  a canal (man-made water passage) that allowed American commercial and war ships to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific more quickly. New Territory- a plot of land controlled by a country.  In this case, America. Manifest Destiny- people believed that they had a God-given right to expand across the seas as they had done across the continent. Yellow Journalism- Reporting in newspapers and magazines that exaggerates the news in order to make it more exciting. 

Vocabulary Social Darwinism- Imbalances of power between individuals and races were justified because some people were more fit to survive than others. Imperialism- a policy of taking control over other lands and people. Annex- to take territory and join it to a state or country. Revolt- to rise in rebellion. Isthmus of Panama- the isthmus that connects Central America and South America.

Objective By the end of the lesson, students will explain how America expanded its role in the world during the Presidency of William McKinley as a result of the Spanish-American War.

How much power and influence does America have today? America Today How much power and influence does America have today?

America’s Power Do you think America has always been really powerful and influential?

Most powerful countries were in Europe. America’s Power NO! Most powerful countries were in Europe.

British Empire (Red)

How do you think America became powerful? America’s Power How do you think America became powerful?

How did America become Powerful? The huge number of inventions between the years 1875 - 1910 coming out of America made it powerful.

How Did America Become Powerful? One huge step towards power happened with the Spanish - American War of 1898.

Spanish American-War Under President William McKinley, America was becoming more powerful. They started having an opinion on issues outside of the U.S. America supported Cuban independence from Spain.

McKinley and Cuba

Spanish-American War The U.S. sent the boat the USS Maine to sail around the island of Cuba to show the Cubans that they support their independence from Spain.

The USS Maine Blew Up!

THE WAR BEGINS! For the first time, the U.S. fought a war as a country outside of the U.S. The U.S. attacked the Spanish in Cuba, and they went after their colonies in the South Pacific Ocean because they thought Spain blew the boat up! (But it’s believed they didn’t really blow it up.)

Yellow Journalism Promoted the War Because of Yellow Journalism (reports that exaggerate the truth) more people supported the war. Political Cartoons Helped Yellow Journalist promote their stories.

Rough Riders Future President of the United State, Theodore Roosevelt, led a group of soldiers into Cuba. They were really successful. They were called the Rough Riders!

The War Is Over America was too powerful for the Spanish and they won the war in 10 months! President McKinley and the U.S. won their first war overseas. At the Treaty of Paris they got a lot of former Spanish colonies in the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Places to Know

Why is this special? FIRSTS! This was the first time America had control of land overseas! This was the first time America won a war that happened outside of the U.S. This was the first time America was looked at as a strong country! European countries started to second guess messing with the U.S.

Major Player/Key Points At the turn of the century (1898), President William McKinley was a huge fan of flexing America’s Muscles. America was able to become strong because of all the change that was happening in America at that time.

American Continues to Expand America was growing and so was its economy.  Because of the Industrial Revolution, America had many goods to sell.   America wanted a way to get goods to markets faster and cheaper, especially to China. The Isthmus of Panama was a narrow piece of land that, if developed, could serve as a waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.   It was currently owned by Colombia, but America paid $10 million to build the waterway. This opened up a faster and cheaper way for travel and trade.

Panama Canal

Annexation and Gained Territories With America expanding and trading, there was a need to to have locations for refueling and to put military bases. Hawaii was annexed after a revolt over their then queen by some businessmen who wanted the United States to govern over the island. The United States saw the islands as a great place to use as a military base as well as a refueling location. Philippines was also a ideal location for access to the markets in China.

Why the Panama Canal was important Key: Before the Canal After the Canal Travel routes became faster.