Birth Of An Empire: The Spanish-American War In Motion Pictures

Kimberly Hooper

Journal # 4

9/24/15

Birth of an Empire

Birth of an empire attempts to explain through U.S cinema. The Spanish-American War in Motion Pictures creates a time when demand for films caught up with the patriotism. Kaplan suggests that Spanish American war starts the growth and expansion of American cinema in the United States. Cinema was used a business tool to make money. This new technique recreated the combination of real and reel distinction of the war. These motion pictures gave the public the chance to see the war through a camera lens by organizing the events a “unified theme” and arranging them chronologically (Kaplan, 153). It showed how fighting for foreign domination, redefined the role of men at home because women

became in charge while the men were away .She puts insight on this fact that by trying to attain foreign power we have disrupted our domestic life. These films “provided the trill of immediacy in viewing the otherwise remote experience of war” (Kaplan, 148). The films connected the audiences to the people on screen by placing them into the crowds of soldiers departing on ships or mourners as coffins of victims came back home. It emphasized theories of masculine identity with the domestic life through movies such as Citizen Kane, where he gets in touch with his masculine side by being a successful soldier, but has to pay the price by ruining his family domestic life.
Americanization of the World
America became the platform for invention of modern systems of production and consumption.

This “new trend” consumerism simultaneously fascinated and annoyed Europe. With its talents in production, art and entertainment it grew to become a major economic and military power during the early 20th century. There were unusually increased in standard of living because of the increase in mass manufacturing. Productivity, creativity and mass production were the core elements of building a powerful economy. America reinforced European ideas through art by demonstrating their new status culturally, economically, technologically in society (Rydall, 104). America’s skills, talents and progress in civilization was displayed and appreciated through their technological inventions that were exhibited throughout Europe. America had succeeded in creating a significant identity on foreign terrain. People hated us and loved us at the same time. There was jealousy floating around because of the independence that America had from their Anglo Saxon influence which at this time was not possible for other nations. America became the icon for civilization not only at home but also on foreign land. It was known as a nation that was moving forward in an “upward direction” (Rydell,

101)
A Feminine Atlas? Sacagawea, the Suffragettes and the Commemorative landscape in the American west, 1901-1910
The argument in this article was that men and women should be treated as equal citizen in society. Their hard work, sacrifice and talents should be recognized beyond domestic setting. This article focused on American suffragettes wanted to enhance women’s experiences and improve their role in society and not acknowledging them as property. It was to honor Sacagawea’s accomplishments physically re introducing her appearance into a cultural landscape of the west through statues to shape the future by learning from the past (Heffernan, Medlicot, 124) These articles suggest an idea of being foreign in a domestic sense. The role of the “white” Sacajawea woman was strengthened and accepted only if her “Indian” identity weakened. Where as in birth of an empire we see a correlation of domesticity on foreign land in the imperial films and the re insertion of American culture on foreign land in Europe.