Teacher Instructions
NOTE TO TEACHERS: This process begins exactly as it would if this were a Long Essay. Students should
be encouraged to take the time to brainstorm outside information and be able to form a response to
this question as if there were no documents. This ensures that they include outside information and
that they do not rely on the documents to form their argument for them.
Now that you have reviewed the Writing Handbook, apply those skills to the following prompt:
Compare and contrast views of United States overseas expansion in the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries. Evaluate how understandings of national identity, at the time, shaped these
views.
1. Read the question and break it down. What kind of question is this? What are the key elements in
the question?
Compare and contrast views of United States overseas expansion in the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries. Evaluate how understandings of national identity, at the time, shaped these views.
This is a Comparison question. Students should look for similarities AND differences in these views. Like
the CCOT question students should ask: how much was different? How much was the same? Is there
more difference or more similarity? This could be a key element to the thesis.
What is the question asking about? Views of US overseas expansion and American national identity
When? Late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
Where? Overseas – this may seem obvious, but the question does specify overseas expansion as opposed
to westward expansion in North America
2. Brainstorm everything you know about the topic. Use the whole “bull’s eye.”
Students have a larger version of this diagram to fill
out. Go through the brainstorming process with them
and help them fill in gaps:
Level 1: What do they know about overseas expansion
in this period? What kinds of people were in favor of it?
What kinds of people were opposed to it?
Level 2: What else is going on in this period that might
provide some context? Why is expansion an issue at
this time? What factors are influencing views of
identity?
Level 3: Are there other time periods when America has
engaged in expansion? What implications have these
3. Organize your Level 1 information into two to three categories
that
you can
develop into body
had on
national
identity?
paragraphs. Establish connections between your Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 information.
Body paragraphs could be arranged by topic (political, social, economic, etc.); students could also have a
paragraph about those who were in favor of overseas expansion and another about those who were
opposed.
4. Analyze the documents. Your teacher will provide you with a copy of the DBQ packet. Read each of
the documents, do a SHIPPS analysis of each, and be able to summarize what each of them says.
You may not be able to determine an answer for every part of the SHIPPS analysis – that’s ok. Get
as many as you can.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: Answers may vary on this. You will want to review and/or discuss the
documents with your students the first time they write a DBQ.
Doc.
In favor or
opposed to
expansion?
Summary
SHIPPS
What does it say about
identity?
S- E.E. Cooper, an African American
newspaper editor
1
In favor
The author argues that
the Spanish American
War will bring about
greater racial unity and
build bonds between the
government and African
Americans
H- written at the beginning of the Spanish
American War; 2 years after Plessy v
Ferguson; 3 years after Booker T.
Washington’s Atlanta Compromise; most
African Americans still live in the south
with little economic opportunity
I- African American readers of Colored
American
P- to encourage African Americans to
support the war effort
The document says that the
nation could be a “compact
brotherhood” with a high
degree of patriotism
(This speaks to other
documents that address the
issue of equality)
P- sees this as an opportunity to make
progress for African Americans
S- African Americans will play a significant
role in the war effort; it will encourage
patriotism, but not bring about much
change for African Americans
5. Identify the documents that you will use to support your body paragraphs. Plug them into your
categories above.
How students arrange the documents will depend on how they organized their body paragraphs. If, after
reading the documents, students need to rearrange their organizational outline, they may do so.
6. Write your thesis and your T-E-L introductory paragraph.
There are a number of arguments that could be made in the thesis. A strong thesis statement could
address any of the following:


How differing views of American identity affected people’s beliefs about overseas expansion
How social position or motivation (e.g. economic interests) shaped beliefs about overseas
expansion
 How overseas expansion impacted national unity (i.e. inspired debate in America)
Remind students that a solid thesis will both establish an argument and demonstrate the complexity of
the question. In the Expansion part of their introduction, students should contextualize the issue of
overseas expansion in this time period, either by discussing the broader issues of the time period or by
discussing the influence of expansion on the latter half of the 19th century.
7. Write your body paragraphs, making sure to begin with a solid topic sentence. Remember, you
need to be able to describe BOTH similarities AND differences in the views of the time period. You
should also explain WHY they occurred.
 As you cite documents, remember to:
o Cite them by name
o Explain what they say and why it’s relevant to your thesis
o Avoid quoting the documents
o Integrate one of the HIPP elements (historical context, intended audience, purpose, point
of view) in a meaningful way that demonstrates analysis of the document (e.g. beyond just
stating who the audience is, explain why that audience is relevant to the document and the
time period).
Remind students that a good topic sentence tells the reader what the whole paragraph will be about and
links the paragraph back to their thesis.
Remind students that they should include specific, detailed information to support their thesis.
Students who organize their essay with one paragraph about “imperialists” and another about “antiimperialists” should be able to offer a concession in their paragraphs in which they demonstrate that
there was some common ground between the two groups.
8. Write your conclusion, including your Synthesis information.
Students should wrap up their argument by reiterating their thesis and then tying their argument/topic
to the broader scope of US history. Using specific examples from their Level 3 brainstorm, they should
attempt to address how the topic in this essay is relevant to the development of US history. Possibilities
include one of the following:



Other facets of life beyond identity (labor issues, diplomatic issues, political issues, etc.) that
were heavily influenced by overseas expansion
Other time periods in US history when expansion led to changes in America or American identity
(e.g. the era of Manifest Destiny, or the subsequent involvement in World War I)
Other issues in this time period that led to rethinking of American identity (e.g. the rise of the
Progressive Era)