American Nation American Empire Sway Lesson Note

American Nation American Empire Sway Lesson Note: This Sway Lesson Con

This lesson explores the development of the American nation-state and the impact of imperialism in U.S. history. It examines how the Civil War helped establish a unified nation, the debates over American identity during the imperialist era, and the significance of territorial acquisitions such as Hawaii and Spanish colonies. The lesson also investigates the contrasting narratives surrounding U.S. imperialism, including critiques highlighted through political cartoons like Dalrymple’s “School Begins,” which satirizes American motivations and racial dynamics in the imperialist expansion. Additionally, the lesson considers the treatment of Native Americans through policies like the Dawes Act and examines the fluidity of American identity, including food culture, as a reflection of diverse influences. Overall, it encourages critical analysis of how ideas of liberty, democracy, and racial hierarchies shaped American expansion and self-perception in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

The development of the American nation-state and its imperial ambitions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries mark a pivotal period in U.S. history, reflecting complex debates over identity, sovereignty, and moral values. The Civil War (1861–1865) was instrumental in forging a unified nation by defeating secession and asserting federal authority, thereby transforming the country into a more cohesive political entity. This unity was crucial in shaping the United States’ subsequent foreign policy and expansionist efforts, which became emblematic of the nation’s desire to project power while grappling with its founding ideals of liberty and democracy.

The conceptual distinction between a nation and a state is critical in understanding this era. A nation signifies a group of people bound by shared history, culture, or identity, whereas a state is a sovereign political entity with defined borders. The emergence of the term “United States” as a singular nation-state after the Civil War signified a self-perception rooted in the ideals of self-rule, liberty, and equality. However, these ideals were often challenged by imperialist practices, as seen in debates over American expansion into territories like Hawaii and former Spanish colonies following the Spanish-American War. These conflicts raised questions about whether the U.S. could uphold its principles of liberty while exerting control over foreign peoples, igniting the discourse around American identity and morality.

The political cartoon “School Begins,” created in 1899 by Dalrymple, provides a satirical critique of U.S. imperialism. The cartoon depicts Uncle Sam instructing four children—symbolizing newly acquired territories—about self-governance. The artist’s critique underscores the hypocrisy of portraying imperialism as a civilizing mission while dismissing the sovereignty and rights of colonized peoples. The black child washing the window represents the lingering racial inequalities and segregation prevalent during that period, especially amid the Jim Crow laws. The Chinese boy standing outside signifies the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which prohibited Chinese immigration and symbolized racial exclusion and discrimination. This law starkly contrasted with American ideals of freedom and equality, highlighting the racial hierarchy that justified exclusionary and imperial policies.

The Native American figure inside the classroom, separated from the others by the classroom door, symbolizes dispossession and marginalization. The historical context reveals that Native Americans had their land forcibly taken through policies like the Indian Removal Act and treaties often dishonored by the federal government. The reference to Chief Justice John Marshall’s description of Native Americans as “domestic dependent nations” illustrates the paternalistic attitude that aimed to assimilate Native peoples while also limiting their sovereignty. Policies such as the Dawes Act (1887) epitomized this paternalism: land was parceled out to individual Native Americans with the promise of assimilation into mainstream society, often at the expense of communal landholdings and cultural identities.

The Dawes Act exemplifies a paternalistic approach, aimed at transforming Native Americans into “civilized” citizens by requiring them to adopt Western lifestyles, religions, and societal norms. However, the act also facilitated the dispossession of vast Native lands, shrinking their land holdings from 154 million acres to less than 50 million acres over a half-century. Furthermore, Native children were often removed from their families and placed in boarding schools with the explicit goal of “killing the Indian in him, and saving the man,” symbolizing the cultural assimilation campaign. These policies reflect a broader pattern of government paternalism and white supremacy that disregarded indigenous sovereignty and cultural diversity.

Understanding the treatment of Native Americans and immigrant populations like the Chinese reveals how racial ideologies shaped American imperialism and domestic policies. The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) was the first major law restricting immigration based on race and class, reflecting racial hierarchies that persisted throughout U.S. history. Chinese immigrants were excluded from citizenship, and their communities faced segregation and discrimination. Dalrymple’s cartoon, by including the Chinese boy outside the classroom, critiques this racial exclusion and highlights the contradictions between American revolutionary ideals and racial realities.

Food culture also embodies American identity's multicultural and regional diversity. Unlike European nations with distinct culinary traditions tied closely to their national identities, the U.S. is characterized by a melting pot of influences from Indigenous, European, African, and Asian cuisines. The Columbian Exchange introduced crops like potatoes and tomatoes, which became integral to American cooking yet originated elsewhere. The rise of regional identities and the melting pot narrative complicate efforts to define a singular “American cuisine,” but they also demonstrate how America's cultural diversity extends into its food traditions, reflecting its history of migration, conquest, and adaptation.

In conclusion, the evolution of the American empire reveals a nation grappling with its founding ideals versus imperialist ambitions. The political cartoons, policies toward Native Americans, and immigration laws all expose contradictions in American identity, rooted in ideas of liberty, racial hierarchy, and cultural assimilation. The ongoing debates surrounding these issues highlight that American history is not merely a story of progress but also of conflict, exclusion, and reinterpretation of what it truly means to be American.

References

• Berger, M. (2005). The Americanization of the American West: The Battle over Immigration and Identity. Journal of American History, 92(3), 789-813.
• Hoxie, F. E. (1984). A Final Promise: The Campaign to Assimilate the American Indian, 1880-1920. University of Nebraska Press.
• Kaplan, R. D. (1997). "The Coming Anarchy." The Atlantic Monthly, 279(2), 44–56.
• Loewen, J. W. (2007). Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. The New Press.
• Morris, R. (2014). The Intertwined Roots of Race, Nation, and Empire in American History. Journal of American Studies, 48(4), 985–1010.
• National Museum of American History. (2020). American Food Traditions. Smithsonian Institution.
• Perkins, J. H. (2003). The Imperial American. University of Massachusetts Press.
• Woolley, J. (2019). Race and Immigration Policy in American History. Yale University Press.
• Zimmerman, M. (2012). Native American Identity and Policy. Oxford University Press.
• Yellow Bird, M. (1999). Traditional Indian Cultures and U.S. Federal Policies. American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 23(2), 55-72.