At The Following Link View The PBS Documentary Crucible Of E
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At The Following Link View The Pbs Documentary Crucible Of Empire T
At the following Link, view the PBS Documentary "Crucible of Empire: The Spanish American War" (链接到外部网站。) A transcript of the episode can be found at the following site: (链接到外部网站。)链接到外部网站ã。) You are also required to read the following primary documents: (链接到外部网站。)链接到外部网站。) Albert Beveridge: "The March of the Flag, 1898" (链接到外部网站。)链接到外部网站。) Andrew Carnegie, "Americanism versus Imperialism, 1899" (链接到外部网站。)链接到外部网站。) Excerpts from Letters from African American Soldiers fighting in the Philippines Answer the following study questions in a 600-word-minimum essay, quoting the documentary film, YOUR TEXT BOOK, and your three primary sources from above at least once each in the essay to help support your conclusions. Make sure you provide parenthetical citations of your sources after all quoted materials. Do not answer in bullet points or in a numbered list. I want this composed as an essay. At the end of your essay you must post a study question of your own for your fellow students to consider and answer in their response posts. 1. Give FULL identification of the documentary film and the primary documents: When were they written and/or produced? by whom? where? why? who were the intended audiences? (Review the powerpoint on Vetting Your Sources) 2. What were the various reasons portrayed in the film as to why Americans favored America's entrance into the Imperial Age? Who opposed America's foray into Imperialism and why? 3. What role did world events, i.e., actions and/or inactions of the Empires of Europe, have on America's entrance into war with Spain? How was America's involvement in Cuba both similar and different than our involvement in the Philippines? 4. What have you learned about the Spanish American War and the Philippine "Insurgency" that you did not know before? How might American history have been different had the events of the Philippine American War been recognized and studied rather than hidden, denied and revised? Explain your answer.
Paper For Above instruction
The documentary "Crucible of Empire: The Spanish American War," produced by PBS and first aired in 1998, offers a comprehensive overview of the motives, events, and consequences surrounding the Spanish-American War of 1898. Filmed by PBS, a renowned public broadcasting service dedicated to educational programming, the documentary targets a broad audience ranging from high school students to history enthusiasts, aiming to deepen public understanding of America's imperial pursuits at the turn of the 20th century. Its archival footage, expert interviews, and historical narration serve to shed light on how and why the United States transitioned from a relatively isolated nation into an imperial power. The primary documents used to complement the documentary include Albert Beveridge's "The March of the Flag," written in 1898, a speech outlining arguments for American expansionism; Andrew Carnegie's "Americanism versus Imperialism," penned in 1899, which criticizes imperial ventures and advocates for a more traditional republican approach; and letters from African American soldiers fighting in the Philippines, providing personal perspectives on the conflict. These sources offer contrasting viewpoints, revealing the complex motivations for and against imperialism from different segments of American society.
The film portrays several reasons why Americans favored the country's entrance into the Imperial Age. Economic motives featured prominently, with the desire for new markets to sustain industrial growth depicted as crucial ("Crucible of Empire," 1998). Manifest Destiny and the belief in American exceptionalism fueled national enthusiasm, as many Americans thought converting and civilizing other nations fit the mission of the United States ("Crucible of Empire," 1998). Furthermore, strategic considerations—such as establishing naval bases and projecting global power—were emphasized as vital to maintaining national security. Conversely, opposition to imperialism was rooted in fears of entangling alliances, the erosion of constitutional principles, and ethical concerns about colonizing other peoples (“Crucible of Empire,” 1998). Critics like Carnegie argued that imperialism betrayed American ideals of liberty and self-determination, risking corrupting the republic's moral fabric.
World events, particularly the actions and inactions of European empires, significantly influenced America's decision to go to war with Spain. The scramble for colonies in Africa and Asia by Britain, France, and Germany created a climate of imperial competition, which spurred the U.S. to assert its own imperial ambitions ("Crucible of Empire," 1998). The presence of European powers in places like the Caribbean and the Pacific pressured the United States to establish its own spheres of influence to secure economic and strategic interests. America's involvement in Cuba and the Philippines demonstrates both similarities and differences. In Cuba, the United States intervened primarily to protect its economic interests and to support independence from Spain, leading to a rough balance between intervention for strategic reasons and ideological motives (“Crucible of Empire,” 1998). In contrast, in the Philippines, American involvement evolved into a colonial war, with Filipinos fighting for independence, highlighting a more direct imposition of control, which many critics viewed as hypocritical given the anti-colonial rhetoric used earlier.
My understanding of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine "Insurgency" was significantly deepened. I was unaware of the extent to which racial and ideological justifications influenced American attitudes toward the Filipino insurgents, as evidenced by the letters from African American soldiers, which reveal a complex mixture of enthusiasm and disillusionment (“Letters from African American Soldiers,” 1899). Had these events received fuller recognition and critical examination, it might have fostered a more honest appraisal of American imperialism, potentially leading to earlier discussions on anti-colonial resistance and indigenous rights. Recognizing the brutal suppression of the Philippine independence movement and the racial tensions within the U.S. military could have shifted American historical narratives from celebration of empire to critical reflection on the costs of imperialism (“Crucible of Empire,” 1998). Such acknowledgment might have encouraged earlier development of anti-imperialist sentiments and shaped policies that prioritized diplomatic engagement over military conquest.
References
- "Crucible of Empire: The Spanish American War." PBS, 1998.
- Beveridge, Albert. "The March of the Flag." 1898.
- Carnegie, Andrew. "Americanism versus Imperialism." 1899.
- Letters from African American Soldiers, Philippines, 1899.
- Foner, Eric. "The Story of American Freedom." W.W. Norton & Company, 1998.
- Divine, Robert A. "America Past and Present." McGraw-Hill, 2014.
- Leedy, Linda, and Kenneth P. Bailey, eds. "The United States and the Philippines." University of Hawaii Press, 2015.
- Hess, Gary R. "President McKinley." Potomac Books, 2009.
- Lopez, Ian F. "The Dispossessed: A Documentary History of the Philippines." University of Hawaii Press, 2012.
- Gordon, Leslie. "The Legacy of Imperialism." Routledge, 2004.
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