Question

what were some of the basic facts that Mark Twain and Minor C. Keith could agree on between 1890 and 1920 about imperialism?

Answer 1

I'm not sure if this will help, but Twain was against imperialism. He spoke out against what happened in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War (in which rebels fought against the US for not recognizing them as a republic -- this after the Spanish American War) and was concerned over the direction that the country was taking with those actions.

Keith, on the other hand, was a businessman and entrepreneur who eventually created the United Fruit Company. Through his business holdings in Costa Rica and the Central American region, his companies managed to influence a great deal of the local economy. Instead of using armies and soldiers to take over a country, his companies did the same thing -- through the economy -- turning many areas into private preserves that fed his business interests. In that way, he was definitely something of an imperialist.

Answer 2

It does make sense but i have more questions is that okay?

Answer 3

Sure! Ask away.

Answer 4

What did each person believe about imperialism? (Mark and Keith)
• How did they work in support of or in opposition to imperialism?
• Were there any key events in their lives that affected their beliefs about imperialism?

Step 4: Research Analysis
Before you write your dialogue, reflect on the information you learned while researching your issue. Write down your thoughts on the following questions; you will need the answers to complete your dialogue. ( that's the directions for it i thought that you would wanna know them..)

• What is each person’s opinion on the issue?
• What facts or reasoning back up their opinion?
• What would person A say about person B’s opinion and vice versa?

Now, I need help with my dialogue ----- here is what the directions say write your dialogue between two people on different sides of the issue. Make sure to address the following issues in your final product:
• Start out your dialogue with each person stating their opinion on the issue. This opinion should be about a paragraph long.
• Spend the rest of the conversation with the two people responding to each other about their dreams.
• Use the following format to write your dialogue
Person 1: I believe that . . .

Person 2: Nonsense. Your . . .

Person 1: That is not true. I .. . ---------

Answer 5

I am sorry for all this I just didnt get it

Answer 6

No probs, let's work through this together! Give me a minute or two to take a look at these to see what we can do.

Answer 7

okay dokay :) Again thank you

Answer 8

oh and she said this too

• You may wish to have the people ask one another questions.
• Focus the dialogue on the specific issues. Although they may criticize or challenge each other’s beliefs, the conversation should not become a name-calling session. Have each person comment on the other person’s opinions.
• Your dialogue should be based on both historical fact and imaginative details derived from historical fact.

Answer 9

This isnt to much is it

Answer 10

Okay, it looks like the assignment is asking you to create a fictional debate between Twain and Keith on imperialism in general. This can be tricky because you're blending facts in with make believe, but it's not impossible. :)

First, we have to set up both characters:

Twain - He's the anti-imperialist and has stated that much in interviews and quotes. He wasn't happy about what happened in the Philippines, for example, and believed the the US should not interfere in the affairs of other countries and instead stand up for their beliefs in representing themselves. You can find a bunch of Twain's quotes from here:

http://www.historywiz.com/primarysources/marktwain-imperialism.htm

Keith - He's a businessman. Though his actions eventually led to the United Fruit Company, his real passion was railroads -- particularly those in Costa Rica. Long story short, the Costa Ricans couldn't pay for the railroad they took loans out for, so Keith took over the project and ended up owning a huge amount of land (along with the railroad). Because of him, and his interest in growing bananas as a cash crop, he changed the economy of Costa Rica turning it into a giant plantation that was dependent on his businesses.

The dialogue:

Okay! So now you know who both of these guys are and what they did. How would they talk to each other? Let's try a sample:

Twain: "Isn't it more important to help a people stand on their two feet if they have not the means to do so? With wisdom and patience?"

Keith: "But means can often be expensive, and if a people cannot raise themselves up from the ground, the world won't wait for them to do so. In business, time is money, and all I have done is to pave the way with my railroad and the fruits that their labor will bring to the world."

Twain: "But at the same time, you enslave them through their pockets and make them dependent on what only you can provide. You teach them nothing, other than exploit them for what they can do for your business. Though they can't see above the banana groves you have planted, it isn't for lack of trying."

Answer 11

So if i wanted to i could use this? And is this it because you are really good

Answer 12

You can use it as a start, but if you need more, check out that page of Mark Twain quotes I linked to. And just have fun with it!

Remember, Twain is arguing against the US butting into other nations. But Keith is doing just that with his businesses.

You can take it from there and make it a full blown conversation. Here are some more ways you can add to this:

- Keith wants to use his money to control; Twain sees it as a responsibility to teach

- Twain has the point of view of using the power of the US to help others; Keith has the attitude of a colonialist who wants to use "lesser developed" countries for his own interests

- Twain: "Let's help others help themselves!"
- Keith: "Those who are less fortunate should work only to support what is better than themselves."

Answer 13

okay i will type some stuff and then i will let you see it is that okay

Answer 14

Sounds good!

Answer 15

okay

Answer 16

are you still there

Answer 17

I'm still here!

Answer 18

okay good

Answer 19

How do I make this a conversation???

- Keith wants to use his money to control; Twain sees it as a responsibility to teach

- Twain has the point of view of using the power of the US to help others; Keith has the attitude of a colonialist who wants to use "lesser developed" countries for his own interests

- Twain: "Let's help others help themselves!"

- Keith: "Those who are less fortunate should work only to support what is better than themselves."

Answer 20

Those are just points of reference -- topics to expand on. Think of what Twain might say to support his points. And then think of what Keith might think from his perspective.

For example:

Keith: "But even you yourself thought that it would be a fine thing for the US to spread its wings over the Pacific, such as over the Philippines. If one has the power to make change, then what does it matter the means?"

Twain: "I did, once. I'll freely admit that. But no one man knows everything at any one moment in time. Their minds do not idle and I have learned how much of a tragedy such a view has become. It would have been better to support the Filipinos, but instead, what we have done is conquer them. As your railroad and plantations have done in Costa Rica. The means do not always justify the ends."

Answer 21

Could i write that in it?

Answer 22

Sure, you can use it! Hopefully it can give you an idea of how to write more examples. Just take it one point at a time, like I did above, by having one character take on position and another going back to rebut it. Don't try to rush it, and you should be okay. If you want, you can try writing up something yourself and I can help you with any grammar or provide a few more ideas. :)

Answer 23

okay thank you

Answer 24

You're welcome!

Answer 25

sorry but are you still there

Answer 26

hello

Answer 27

thanks for the help! !! really needed it! <3