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US HISTORY #35
Name: ___________________________
UNIT 6: Gilded Age to Progressive Era
Period: _______ Date: ________________
U.S. Imperialism: Cuba and Panama
Recap Of American Imperialism
Imperialism is when a nation works to expand its power and influence. The two
primary methods of imperialism are military conquest and political diplomacy. Back in
1823, President James Monroe had told the world that the United States was now the
official protector and defender of the Western hemisphere, and European colonies
were no longer welcome. This was known as the Monroe Doctrine. But in reality, the
U.S. was too concerned with its own expansion across the North American continent,
and then with the Civil War, to actually enforce the Monroe Doctrine or take much of an
interest in foreign affairs.
Meanwhile, European powers, especially Britain, were busily acquiring new empires in
other parts of the world. Then just before the turn of the 20th century, the United States
industrialized and entered the race for empire. Empire was valuable to industrialized
nations because it provided raw materials and extra markets to sell manufactured
goods.
1.
What was the Monroe Doctrine?
2.
Why did industrialism cause countries
to seek empire?
3.
What did the Platt Amendment to
the Cuban constitution give the U.S.
permission to do?
4.
What was the Roosevelt Corollary?
5.
How did Roosevelt enforce the
Roosevelt Corollary?
6.
Why do you think Roosevelt’s
diplomatic style is referred to as “Big
Stick diplomacy?
America's first new territory beyond the contiguous United States was the purchase of
Alaska, followed by the annexation of Hawaii. The Open Door Policy provided
economic access to China. Then came the Spanish-American War, after which the US
acquired the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico. Cuba gained its independence from
Spain, but was in the perfect position from which the United States could launch a new
imperialist strategy.
The Platt Amendment
In 1901, the island of Cuba had gained its independence, but the U.S. was worried that
European empires might consider Cuba an easy target once troops were removed.
Congress passed the Platt Amendment, inserting provisions into Cuba's constitution
that would prevent European intervention in the future, such as restrictions on their
treaties and national debt. The Platt Amendment granted the United States permission
to reoccupy the island if any of the constitutional provisions were violated. Additionally,
it included a lease on Guantanamo Bay as an American naval base.
The Roosevelt Corollary
The Platt Amendment served as a precedent for President Theodore Roosevelt, who
was looking for a way to assert U.S. authority in the Western hemisphere. For three
quarters of a century, the Monroe Doctrine had warned European nations not to
intervene in the Americas, but around the turn of the century, America was worried
about them coming to collect their debts from struggling nations.
In his 1904 address to Congress, Roosevelt declared that the Monroe Doctrine
compelled the U.S. to be an international police force. Basically, the United States
would use its military to keep the Europeans out, and keep the rest of the Americas in
line. The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine dramatically shaped U.S.
diplomatic and foreign policy.
Whereas the Monroe Doctrine had been mere words, the Roosevelt Corollary was
backed by the might of a new and improved U.S. Navy. It was responsible for the
deployment of American troops at least 35 times throughout the 20th century to
preserve national interests throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. It was truly the
embodiment of President Roosevelt's philosophy, 'Speak Softly, and Carry a Big Stick.'
Dollar Diplomacy And Missionary Diplomacy
In addition to this expanded sphere of political and military influence, the Roosevelt
Corollary helped to guarantee the foreign economic investments of many American
citizens as well. President William Taft, elected in 1908, believed in using American
economic power as much as its military might to expand U.S. influence. Taft
encouraged American banks and investors to put money into emerging nations. This
diplomatic policy was often referred to as ‘Dollar Diplomacy’.
Called 'Dollar Diplomacy' by its detractors, Taft believed his policy would improve
diplomatic relations between the U.S. and the nations whose infrastructures benefited
from the investment, that it would stabilize shaky governments and prevent other
imperialist nations from gaining influence. But continued political turmoil in the region
meant that the U.S. had to invoke the Roosevelt Corollary on several occasions and
use the military to protect American investments. For example, Dollar Diplomacy
resulted in the American occupation of Nicaragua for 13 years and Haiti for 19 years.
President Woodrow Wilson, elected in 1912, attempted to reverse the policies of his
predecessors. In what some historians call 'Missionary Diplomacy,' Wilson claimed that
the only good use of American power was not to gain political or economic dominance,
but to convince oppressive regimes to adopt democratic governments. This policy has
prompted many American actions even in the modern day, and in Wilson's time, left the
United States on the brink of war with a Mexican dictator more than once.
7.
Why was Taft’s diplomatic policy
often referred to as ‘Dollar
Diplomacy’?
8.
Why did Taft believe that “Dollar
Diplomacy” would improve diplomatic
relations between the U.S. and other
nations?
9.
Wilson believed in “Missionary
Diplomacy.” What is Missionary
Diplomacy?
The Panama Canal
The combined legacy of military, economic and diplomatic might is embodied in the construction
of the Panama Canal. Before 1914, a boat trip from New York to San Francisco covered 12,000
miles; a canal could cut off more than half that distance. The United States had been
considering such a project since the mid-19th century, but President Roosevelt was determined
to finally make it happen. 'If we are to hold our own in the struggle for supremacy,' Roosevelt
insisted, 'we must build the canal.'
Engineers identified two possible routes: one - a longer, but easier, route through a lake in
Nicaragua and two - a shorter, but more difficult, route through the mountains and swamps of
the province of Colombia. In the late 1800s, France attempted to dig a canal through the
second, shorter route; it was an expensive failure. But in 1903, President Roosevelt approved
the purchase of the French claim for $40 million. There was only one remaining obstacle: the
province of Colombia would not come to terms with the U.S. and would not grant permission to
resume work on the canal.
It was a minor detail. Supported by U.S. warships offshore, rebels in the territory declared their
independence from Colombia. Barely two weeks later, the new nation of Panama signed a deal
with the United States, approving the construction of a canal in exchange for $10 million up front
and annual rent of the Canal Zone for $250,000 beginning in 1913. The U.S. would provide
military protection and have sovereignty over the Canal Zone.
The Panama Canal was an unprecedented engineering accomplishment; it took ten years, cost
as much as $400 million (the largest federal expenditure to that date) and claimed up to 6,000
lives to accidents and diseases like Yellow Fever and malaria. But finally, on August 15, 1914,
the Panama Canal opened. A thousand ships passed through it that first year.
Essential Question: Was American Expansion oversees Justifiable?
Directions: Find evidence from the reading to support the following claim and counterclaim
13. Claim: American expansionism was justifiable because
14. Counterclaim: American expansionism was NOT justifiable because
10. Why was the construction of the
Panama Canal so important to the
United States?
11. How did Columbia react to U.S.
requests to build the canal through
their country?
12. How did the U.S. manage to build the
canal without Columbian approval?