Requirements:
All students are required to read the text Overthrow, and provide a reflection on three different U.S. take-overs. Students are free to choose which examples they want to write on, and for each of the three U.S. conquests, explain the following:
Why did the U.S. get involved in that particular country? What interests prompted U.S. involvement? Was the U.S. completely honest to the U.S. public, or to the country that we invaded, or did it operate covertly, or under a different premise/excuse? How did the actual overthrow occur? Provide a summary of the "process" of take over. Was it lengthy? Quick? How long? Did the U.S. use CIA force, militaristic force, or both? Was the campaign an all-out war, or was it a combination of strategies? What did the U.S. do AFTER the leader/government was taken out of power? Did it institute a new government system? Did it allow some members of that nation to write their own constitution? Did it make it an official or unofficial colony? Explain. What conditions did the peoples of that land face after U.S. conquest? What was the reaction of the people of that country? What was the reaction of the U.S. public? Has there been ensuing chaos in that country after U.S. involvement? Explain.
The essay should have an introduction, transitions between sentences, and a conclusion. I expect students to make connections between the three examples they provide, and effectively draw conclusions from the patterns of U.S. conquests abroad. In your last few paragraphs, reflect on what all of this means for the ideas of self-rule (sovereignty), and for democracy worldwide.
Technicalities:
Proper MLA in text citations, and a Works Cited reference on the bottom of the last page.
6.5 pages in length
Double spaced, type written, size 12 font-Times New Roman
Standard 1" margins
Numbered pages