Mrs.

Dupuis
S.S. 221

Name: ____________________________
Date: _______________
Period: ____
Imperialism DBQ
Document Analysis and Thesis Development

Historical Context: In 1776 the United States of America officially declared independence from the
imperial control of Great Britain. Since that time, United States history has been one of expansion. By
the middle of the 19th century, the U.S. began to look overseas for more land. Although imperialism
brought many positive changed to the world and the country, it also created many problems. On both
sides of the issue, groups emerged to encourage or discourage the American governments imperialist
policies under several presidents including President McKinley.
Task: Using the information from the documents and your knowledge of social studies, analyze each
document and develop a thesis statement to answer the DBQ question.
DBQ Question: Was the U.S. policy of imperialism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries a
positive or negative strategy for the United States and the rest of the world?
Process:
1. Analyze each document
a. What claims can you make about this document?
b. How does it help you answer the DBQ question?
c. Does this document support a positive or negative opinion of imperialism?
d. Take notes next to each document
2. Categorize each document
a. Summarize the document and place into the pro/anti imperialism t-chart
b. Use power verbs to write your sentence
c. Make sure you include document number before sentence
d. Power verbs:
i. Explain how documents support your argument
ii. Dont just restate content of documents
iii. Represents, illustrates, portrays, exemplifies, depicts, reveals, demonstrates,
indicates, symbolizes
e. Example: Document 1: The map clearly illustrates that..
f. Example: Document 2: It is clear that the cartoon symbolizes..
3. Thesis Statement
a. Write a strong thesis statement that includes 3 reasons that you would have suppported /
opposed U.S. imperialism if you had lived in the late 1800s

Think: For what purpose might the United States want to control these islands?
Think: If the United States became imperalistic, it will build an empire. This means that the United
States will own or have access to territories around the world. How can imperialism lead to a stronger
economy in the United States?

The people in the top row represent

native people in their home countries
before the U.S. was involved and the
bottom row represents the same native
people after the U.S. entered their
country.
Think: What problems affected people
in their native countries before the
U.S. became involved?
Think: According to the cartoonist,
what was life like for native people
after the U.S. exposed them to our way
of life?
Think: What did the United States do
that caused these countries to change?

Think: According to this

cartoonist, how were the Cuban
people treated under Spanish
rule?
Think: What European nation
once ruled over the 13 colonies
in the United States?
Think: Why might the citizens
of the U.S. want to help a small
colony like Cuba free itself from
a European power like Spain?

Think: Many Americans thought the United States was helping foreign countries by invading them
and building indoor bathrooms, electric lines and factories. According to Ernest H. Crosby, why did
many native peoples dislike imperialism?

Think: According to Abraham Lincolm, is the United States policy of imperialism true to the
statement all men are created equal?
Think: If not, which groups are not being treated equally in the United States?
Think: Based upon the way that outsiders are treated in the United States, why might some people feel
that the United States should not be imperialistic?

Think: According to Vladimir Lenin, why did the United States want to gain more colonies?
Think: Does this document present a reason that the United States should take over other countries or
not? Why?

Evidence
Directions: For each document decide if it should be used as evidence in a pro imperialism or antiimperialism defense. Then write a sentence using power verbs explaining how the document fits in
with your DBQ response. Then decide which position you agree with and write a thesis statement at
the bottom.
Doc #

Pro Imperialism Arguments

THESIS STATEMENT:

Anti-Imperialism Arguments