You must complete the 3 STEP Cost/Benefit Analysis
for each of the paragraphs in your essay.
I. Introduction
A. Manifest Destiny
B. Land gained
C. War
D. Migration of People
II. Louisiana Purchase/Lewis and Clark
A. Land gained
Cost/Benefit Analysis (step 3)
B. Cost
C. Benefit
D. Exploration of Lewis and Clark
III. Mexican American War
A. Land gained
B. Cost
Cost/Benefit Analysis (step 3)
C. Benefit
D. Effects
IV. Migration of People
A. Who, how, and why people migrated
1. California Gold Rush
a. Costs
Cost/Benefit
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Analysis (step
(step 3)
3)
b. Benefits
2. Trail of Tears
Cost/Benefit Analysis (step 3)
a. Costs
b. Benefits
3. Transcontinental Railroad
a. Costs
Cost/Benefit
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Analysis (step
(step 3)
3)
b. Benefits
V. Conclusion
Example: Mexican American War – Cost Benefit Analysis
STEP 1
BRAINSTORM
THE COSTS
AND
BENEFITS
Costs
Mexico Loss of land north of Rio Grande River
Many lives lost
Benefits
Mexico $15 million from U.S.
U.S. $15 million to Mexico
Many lives lost
U.S. Large piece of land north of Rio
Grande River
STEP 2
After analyzing the costs and benefits, I can conclude that for the United States, the
benefits outweighed the costs because the land that was gained north of the Rio Grande
ANALYZE
YOUR TCHART
River made the country stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and that
was worth all the lives lost and the $15 million. For Mexico, I can conclude that the
costs outweigh the benefits because the lives lost and the land lost is not worth the
benefit of $15 million it received from the United States.
STEP 3
STATE the
COST and
BENEFITS
from your TCHART
There are many costs and benefits associated with the Mexican American War. For the
United States the cost was $15 million and many American lives were lost. For Mexico,
the cost was the loss of land north of the Rio Grande River and many Mexican lives. The
benefit for the United States was all the land north of the Rio Grande River. The benefit
for Mexico was receiving $15 million from the United States. After analyzing the costs
and benefits, I can conclude that for the United States, the benefits outweighed the
costs because the land that was gained made the country stretch from the Atlantic
Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and that was worth all the lives lost and the $15 million. For
Mexico, I can conclude that the costs outweigh the benefits because the lives lost and
the land lost is not worth the $15 million it received from the United States.
FROM STEP 2
ABOVE
BRING IT ALL TOGETHER.
THIS IS WHAT YOUR PARAGRAPH SHOULD LOOK AND SOUND LIKE IN YOUR ESSAY.
NOTICE THE ONLY PART OF THE COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS YOU
WRITE IN YOUR ESSAY IS STEP 3.
Information
from Unit
Plan – The
Mexican
American
War.
SITUATION 5.
EXPLAINS
HOW THE
LAND WAS
GAINED
The Mexican American War happened because Mexico was angry for losing the
Texas Revolution. Also, they felt that Texas should still belong to Mexico. Neither side
could agree on where the border between Mexico and the United States should be.
The United States won the war and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed by both
countries. The treaty said the United States would pay Mexico $15 million and Mexico
would give up all land north of the Rio Grande River. There are many costs and benefits
associated with the Mexican American War. For the United States the cost was $15
million and many American lives were lost. For Mexico, the cost was the loss of land
north of the Rio Grande River and many Mexican lives. The benefit for the United States
was all the land north of the Rio Grande River. The benefit for Mexico was receiving $15
million from the United States. After analyzing the costs and benefits, I can conclude
that for the United States, the benefits outweighed the costs because the land that was
gained made the country stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and that
was worth all the lives lost and the $15 million. For Mexico, I can conclude that the
costs outweigh the benefits because the lives lost and the land lost is not worth the $15
million it received from the United States.
Step 3 of
Cost/Benefit
Analysis
MODEL