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Chapter 10: Section 3
• By 1900, the United States had emerged as a
genuine world power.
• It controlled several overseas territories and
had a large and vigorous economy.
• After the assassination
of President William
McKinley, his Vice
President Theodore
Roosevelt became
President in 1901.
• The Spanish-American War brought home to
Americans the need for a shorter route
between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
• A canal built across Central America would
link the two oceans, making global shipping
much faster and cheaper.
• The Isthmus of Panama was the ideal
location for a route.
• In 1879, a French company bought the rights
from Columbia to build a canal across
Panama.
• In 1902, Congress authorized the purchase of
French assets.
• The act required negotiations, which went
nowhere.
• After a revolt, Panama was recognized as
independent with the U.S. as its protector.
• Construction of the canal began in 1904.
• Workers were
brought in from
several countries and
trained.
• The canal was
finished in 1914, six
months ahead of
schedule and $23
million under
budget.
• Roosevelt’s opponents did
not appreciate the
methods he had used to
secure the Canal Zone.
• Most Americans, convinced
that the canal was vital to
national security and
prosperity, approved of
President Roosevelt’s
actions in Panama.
• The Panama Canal left a legacy of ill will
among Latin Americans toward the U.S.
• In recognition of the illegal means in which
the Canal was acquired, Congress voted to pay
$25 million to Columbia in 1921, two years
after Roosevelt had died.
• “Speak softly and carry a
big stick; you will go far.”
– African Proverb
• In Roosevelt’s view, the
“big stick” was the
United States Navy.
• In December 1904 & 1905,
Roosevelt issued messages to
Congress, known as the
Roosevelt Corollary to the
Monroe Doctrine.
• In this Corollary, Roosevelt
denied that the U.S. wanted
any more territory.
• The U.S. would however
intervene in foreign
territories to prevent
intervention from other
powers.
• U.S. intervention in Latin
America became
common, but angered
many Latin Americans.
• It also angered Congress who felt Roosevelt
was weakening their power, while
strengthening his own.
• In Asia, the President’s
chief concern was to
preserve an open door
to trade with China.
• However the RussoJapanese War, which
began in 1904, posed a
great threat to Asian
security.
• In August 1905, Roosevelt mediated a peace
agreement to the Russo-Japanese War.
• In doing this, Roosevelt succeeded in making
trade in China open to all nations.
• His role as mediator won him the Nobel peace
prize.
• Under Roosevelt’s
presidency, the U.S.
assumed a forceful role in
foreign affairs.
• His successors were
thrown into a complex
mix of political alliances
and world events.
• William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson
both continued Roosevelt’s legacy, but with
unique methods of diplomacy.
• William Howard Taft, elected President in
1908, was not as aggressive as Roosevelt in
pursuing foreign policy aims.
• Taft’s main foreign policy goals were to
maintain the open door to Asia and preserve
stability in Latin America.
• Taft “substituted dollars
for bullets,” using dollar
diplomacy.
• Although dollar
diplomacy increased
American power, it also
created enemies in Latin
America and other
foreign countries.
• President Woodrow Wilson’s intervention in
Mexico led to further anti-American feelings in
Latin America.
• Wilson stopped using Taft’s dollar policy and
announced that the U.S. would apply moral
and legalistic standards to foreign policy
decision.
• Wilson’s “moral
decision” did not work
well.
• His interference in
Mexican affairs soured
relations between the
two countries for years
to come.