Chapter Six Growth and Change

12/4-12/18

12/4-12/9 Lesson One - A Changing Role

In this lesson students will examine the causes and effects of the Spanish-American War and why the United States fought the war. Using real letters from sailors who survived the explosion of the USS Maine, as well as, the other information from the time period, students will piece together their own opinion on why the Maine may have exploded.

• Through the use of yellow journalism newspapers of the time embellished the facts of how the Cubans were being treated by the Spanish in Cuba, prompting for calls for the United States to intervene.
• While sitting in Havana harbor, the USS Maine exploded killing hundreds of American sailors. The outrage from this explosion prompted the United States to declare war on Spain. 
• The Spanish-American War lasted only four months and the US became an imperial power gaining the islands of Cuba, Guam, Philippines, and Puerto Rico.
• As the US became a world power, it needed a way to get from one ocean to the other faster than they could by traveling around South America, thus the Panama Canal was built.

12/11 Lesson Two - New Directions

In this lesson students will explain how inventions and manufacturing methods at the beginning of the twentieth century changed daily life.

• Wright Brothers - first successful flight in 1903.
• Steam Powered Tractors - eased the burdens on the farms.
• Guglielmo Marconi - first successful radio transmission in 1901.
• Edison created the phonograph paving the way for music in the home.
• Henry Ford developed the modern assembly line paving the way for cheap automobile for the common person to buy.
• Due to the growth of the automobile, cities began to grow outward as more and more people move to the suburbs. Automobiles also created new industries related to just the automobile.

12/13 Lesson 3 Progressives and Reforms

In this lesson students will examine the numerous reforms that were enacted due to the growth of the cities and the horrible conditions many immigrants and poor were living in. Students will also examine the limitations these reforms had.

                                       

• As corrupt city bosses were uncovered, many cities moved to commission government. 
• Robert M. La Follette, Governor of Wisconsin, created many of the reforms during this time period including, new labor laws for children and length of workday.
• President Theodore Roosevelt pushed through reforms, such as, the Pure Food and Drug Act, Conservation of National Park, as well as, broke up monopolies.
• The 16th and 17th Amendments were also passed at this time. The 16th Amendment established a national income tax and the 17th Amendment allowed for the direct election of Senators.
• Early Civil Rights Movement began under the direction of WEB DuBois, Booker T. Washington, and Ida B. Wells, who created the NAACP.