rease in a monarch’s power, but rather to exploit and increase economic benefits. A similar approach was taken in Cuba following the Spanish-American War. After the American forces defeated the Spanish, Cuba and the United States came to an agreement called the Platt Amendment. Arguably, the Platt Amendment is perhaps the most telling of America’s true motives in expanding its “empire”. Provisions in the Platt Amendment include protecting American property, banning treaties between Cuba and any other nation, and right to intervene (lecture, October 21). Textbooks may argue America has inserted these provisions to ensure Cuba will become a flourishing democratic nation like America, but as the future shows, this was not the case. America’s desire to expand political and economic power was often portrayed as promoting democratic institutions to nations in desperate need. While America aimed to expand economic power outside its borders, the Great Depression certainly slowed down that process.
While describing the devastation of the Great Depression, a majority of textbooks fail to provide perhaps the most meaningful, but darkest statistic of the era: the suicide rate. Textbooks often provide statistics of how GDP or unemployment was increasingly high. While it does help provide some perspective as to how overwhelming the Great Depression was, it does not help stimulate insightful thoughts to the average student. Discussing how the GDP fell from $104 billion in 1929 to $74 billion in 1933 will not necessarily give the full perspective that textbooks must give (lecture October 28). If textbooks mention the suicide rate during the Great Depression was the highest rate ever in American history, it will certainly give the full perspective that will promote critical thinking among students as to how devastating the Great Depression was. Although it is arguably the darkest statistic in American history, it is necessary for textbooks to...