Chapter 7 Short Answer/Extended Response

Question 1

List the three reasons that the US became imperialistic.

Answer 1

-Desire to find new markets for its products
-Spread its civilization to others
Build up navy to defend the nation’s trade

Question 2

Describe the three ways/events that enabled the US to expand in the Pacific.

Answer 2

-Took warships into Tokyo Bay and negotiated a treaty with Japan gaining trading rights for the US at two Japanese ports
-US also made treaty with Samoa to open up a naval base there
-US would also annex Hawaii and created a naval base at Pearl Harbor

Question 3

Give the two main reasons that President Roosevelt decided to construct the Panama Canal.

Answer 3

-It would demonstrate US power to the world
-It would save time and money for shipping

Question 4

Describe the events of the Spanish-American War.

Answer 4

-US Navy blockaded Cuba, keeping Spanish cut-off supplies
-Com. Dewey attached the Spanish Navy in the Philippines to keep them from attacking US in Cuba
-Dewey gets a quick victory and Americans take over Guam which is Spanish possession
-In Cuba, Theodore Roosevelt led rough riders
-US wins war, Cuba becomes independent and US annexed Guam and Puerto Rico

Question 5

There was a critical debate over whether or not the US should annex the Philippines. Discuss the reasons that one side was in favor of it and why the other was against it.

Answer 5

In favor
-Give the US another Naval base
-Large market for American goods
-Be a stopover on way to China

Against
-Competition from Filipino labor would lower American wages
-Imperialism violated American principles
-Cost of being an empire would outweigh economic benefits

Question 6

List the four agreements that the US and Cuba agreed to in the Platt Amendment.

Answer 6

-Cuba could not make a treaty to weaken its independence
-Cuba had to allow the US to have naval bases
-Cuba had to keep debts low
-US could intervene to protect Cuban independence