Formal Essay - American Isolationism
QUESTION: Throughout most of the 1800s, the United States was a fairly isolationist nation especially in regards to not intervening in European affairs. Contrast the arguments made by leading isolationists and interventionists (expansionists) in the U.S. from the 1890s to the 1960s. Which side made the best argument overall and why? Should the U.S. have intervened in the conflicts it did (i.e. Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War, World War I, World War I, and Vietnam, or not?
REQUIRED READINGS:
Textbook lOpenStaxl - Ch. 22 (all); Ch. 23 (p.663-675, 680-686, 690), Ch. 24 1p. 717.719, Ch. 27 (p. 789.797, 813¬818), Ch. 281P. 8274391; Ch. 291p. 860864, 870.872, 881483), Ch. 30(p. 904-910)
Document 20(p. 65)- William McKinley on the Philippines (1898)
Document Document 22: : :1123)) SWOOZLevnbYtine, ailudTs:t:C7Cr:ng:s)(2 Apnl 1917)
Document 25(p. 74-75)- William E. Borah, Senate Speech on the League of Nations (10 November 1919(
Document 33 Document 46 frankiin D. Roosevelt, Four Freedoms Sreiil1 12:12) oPotc966 I
PAPER COMPONENTS:
I. Format
1) Papers should be typed. Papers should be no less than 2-3 full pages long and should be double-spaced. Students should use 12 pt font and 1-inch margins.
2) Students may include a title for their papers. If they choose to include this, it should be no more than
paragraph should be indented.
II. Spelling/Grammar and Style
III. Content
1), In addition to the background information from the lectures and textbook, students must specifically have held the viewpoint they did,.
2) Students should demonstrate in their paper that they have completed the required textbook readings by
3) Students should try to address some of the following questions in their papers:
• How did President Willian, McKinley justify the annexation of the Philippines after the Spanish
reasons? Why did he not the support the idea of giving the Philippines independence? What
• Why did the members of the Anti-Imperialist League oppose imperialism? How did imperialism imperialism? Why specifically did they protest against U.S. actions in the Philippines? What did they want to see happen in the Philippines instead? What did they accuse the expansionists of doing? What did they believe the expansionist leaders In the government were guilty of doing? had Germany done? What rights had Germany violated and why? What was Wilson asking Congress to do and why? What major point does Wilson make about the German people? Why the U.S.'s goals in entering the war? What did he hope to accomplish? Why did he believe
German-Americans? Why did he feel the need to mention them in his address? What did he believe was more "precious than peace, What did he believe the U.S. was fighting for? What
• Why did Borah oppose U.S. membership In the League of Nations? What was his main U.S. sovereignty? Why did he not want the U.S. to be in an international alliance with European nations in particular? What did he argue had happened to President Wilson at the Paris Peace Conference? Had Wilson been able to completely uphold his idealistic principles?
• What did Roosevelt believe was being assaulted and how? What was in jeopardy from this involved in the conflict happening in other continents? What did he suggest the U.S. do in the face of this assault? What did he state as the "national polic,, of the U.S.? What was the U.S. policy towards other nations fighting against aggression? What did he believe was even more important than continued peace and appeasement? What was he asking Congress to do?
What did he want the U.S. to do for the other nations fighting against Germany and its allies? What sacrifices did he expect American otizen to make? What did Rooseveh envision for the world after this conflin was over? What four freedoms did he outline az freedoms the U.S. stood foi What did he see as the meaning of freedom? What kind of world order did he hope the U.S.
• What did Fulbright mean by "arrogance of power" and was the U.S. guilty of this in his opinion? Why did he think the military efforts of the U.S. were not necessarily working well in Vietnam? What were the goals of the U.S. government according to Fulbright? Did he believe the Vietnamese people fearful of? How did Fulbright think the U.S. could better influence the Promoting democracy?