William McKinley Presidency Overview

How did William McKinley’s presidency mark a turning point in American foreign policy towards imperialism and global influence? This lesson and activity examines the early life, education, background, presidency and legacy of President William McKinley. Students will analyze documents and answer corresponding scaffolding questions. They will answer the final summary question to apply their knowledge.

Included in this resource:

Do Now - William McKinley’s inaugural address primary source analysis and questions
William McKinley document pass/station activity with corresponding scaffolding questions
Document 1: Early Life and Political Career
Document 2: Domestic Policies
Dingley Tariff
Gold Standard Act 1900
Document 3: Foreign Affairs
Spanish-American War
Open Door Policy
Treaty of Paris
Annexation of Hawaii
Document 4: Becoming President
Document 5: Assassination and Legacy
Spotlight On: William McKinley
William McKinley POV and scaffolding questions
Create a legacy brochure of William McKinley with rubric
Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: How did the economic and foreign policies of William McKinley’s presidency contribute to the shaping of the modern American economy and the country’s role on the global stage?
Answer key for teachers (suggested)
★Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you!

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