Image titled, "Columbia's Easter Bonnet" from Puck Magazine's April 6th, 1901 Edition.
(Columbia personifies the United States). In this picture the US enjoys the look of being a world power. Why is the shape of the hat important? |
Political map of the the United States expansion with the dates the US acquires new territories.
Was the United States an Empire? Why did the US add Pacific islands to its overseas possessions? To which location are America's Pacific trade routes leading? |
US Army recruiting poster from the First World War.
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Before the United States joined the conflict, American newspapers reported an inaccurate depiction of the events on the island in order to sell more newspapers. This type of reporting is called yellow journalism.
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July 1898 Edition of Judge magazine. This cover depicts the Spanish military as a inhuman monster that killed the crew of the USS Maine.
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When the lives of Americans were threatened the US Navy ordered the battleship USS Maine to Cuba where it mysteriously sank in while anchored in Havana Harbor. Americans blamed the explosion on a Spanish bomb.
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(2018) Smithsonian video (3:29) on the sinking of the Maine and the Battle of Manila Bay
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The Spanish American War was fought in two locations: the Pacific and the Caribbean. The American navy quickly defeated the Spanish fleet in the Philippines at the Battle of Manila Bay Future President Theodore Roosevelt led a group of volunteers, known as the Rough Riders in Cuba. This group famously defeated the Spanish Army at San Juan Hill.
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The war against Spain lasted only 4 months. In reality, more Americans died from Yellow Fever (a disease caused by mosquitos) than from injuries suffered in combat.
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(2014) TED-Ed video (2:40) on the impact that mosquitos make on human health.
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1914-1918: First World War
United States joins the Allies in 1917 increasing its role in global affairs |
In the First World War, the Central Powers fought the Allied nations. The United States joined the Allies in 1917.
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The United States Congress passed the Selective Service Act in May of 1917. The act required all men in the U.S. between the ages of 21 and 30 to register for military service
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