Megan's Hoganson Discussion Questions

After about 20 minutes I figured out how to create my own post. Here are my historiographical and historical questions to think about for class on Tuesday.

Historiographical: Does this approach affect the way other nineteenth century wars can be viewed? If the same notions of gender and the inherent manliness of political life carried throughout the nineteenth century, were there gender motivations for the Mexican-American War or the Civil War? Do these notions of gender apply to other nations of the nineteenth century? Hoganson contends that we had to prove our manliness to the rest of the world. Were they as concerned about proving their manliness in their nineteenth century wars?

Historical: Why this specific war? For me, Hoganson does not provide enough evidence that this time period was unique and her evidence for saying it is can be seen in other times and places in the history of the United States. Notions of gender were similar throughout the nineteenth century, why would men wait until the end to prove their manliness?

Also, do her sources (political rhetoric, the press, and correspondence) provide enough evidence to convince the reader that men enlisted to prove their manliness and save the Cuban damsels in distress? Was this merely political fodder or did it trickle down to the masses?