so I decided to choose this prompt to write my history essay on: B. In your opinion, based on what you read in Foner and Hollitz and learned in HIST 202 during weeks 1-‐6, what do you think were the most important impacts of increased U.S. involvement in foreign countries, 1890s – 1910s, and why?  HINT #1: This time period covers the Spanish American War, the U.S. War in the Philippines, Progressive Era intervention in Mexico (and elsewhere), and World War I.  HINT #2: You might think about different categories of “impacts”. For example: the U.S. image abroad, the fate of colonized people and/or changes within the U.S. Don’t choose more than 3 or so categories to discuss.

Question

so I decided to choose this prompt to write my history essay on: B. In your opinion, based on what you read in Foner and Hollitz and learned in HIST 202 during weeks 1-‐6, what do you think were the most important impacts of increased U.S. involvement in foreign countries, 1890s – 1910s, and why?  HINT #1: This time period covers the Spanish American War, the U.S. War in the Philippines, Progressive Era intervention in Mexico (and elsewhere), and World War I.  HINT #2: You might think about different categories of “impacts”. For example: the U.S. image abroad, the fate of colonized people and/or changes within the U.S. Don’t choose more than 3 or so categories to discuss.

HINT #1: This time period covers the Spanish American War, the U.S. War in the Philippines, Progressive Era intervention in Mexico (and elsewhere), and World War I.
 HINT #2: You might think about different categories of “impacts”. For example: the U.S. image abroad, the fate of colonized people and/or changes within the U.S. Don’t choose more than 3 or so categories to discuss.

and this is the thesis statement I have for it so far: America's foreign policy decisions in regards to the Spanish American War and the U.S. War in the Philippines were based on their desire to become an imperialist nation that could rival the European powers.
Can somebody help me improve my thesis to make sure it addresses the prompt

Answer 1

First, your "hints" and your thesis statement ignore another MAJOR venture of the United States overseas: The Panama Canal.

As for your thesis, please clean up the language, simplify it. You say "their desire." Who are "they?" And you'd better be able to back up the claim that decision-makers wanted to become an imperialist power. Read your source materials carefully. Hint: their motives may have been somewhat different.

Answer 2

Reed,

The professor gave the two hints along with coming up with the prompt

Answer 3

Your thesis statement provides a solid starting point, but it can be revised to better address the prompt. Specifically, the prompt asks for the most important impacts of increased U.S. involvement in foreign countries during the 1890s-1910s. Therefore, you can enhance your thesis statement by incorporating the notion of impacts and focusing on specific categories as suggested in the prompt.

Revised thesis statement: Increased U.S. involvement in foreign countries during the 1890s-1910s had significant impacts on the U.S. image abroad, the fate of colonized peoples, and domestic changes within the United States, as evidenced by the Spanish American War, the U.S. War in the Philippines, Progressive Era intervention in Mexico, and World War I.

By revising your thesis statement to include the suggested categories and explicitly mentioning the events mentioned in the prompt, you provide a clearer direction for your essay while addressing the given prompt requirements. Note that it would still be important to refine and develop your thesis statement further in your essay by presenting evidence and arguments to support your claims.