Southern Expansion

American Imperialism in Latin America

The Need for a Canal

Difficult to move goods by sea from the east to the west Difficult for naval response to emergencies in the west
Venezuela Guyana Suriname

Brazil

Uruguay

Argentina

Panama Marks the Spot

Panama is an isthmus making it the ideal candidate to build a canal to connect east and west

isthmus narrow strip of land connecting 2 larger land masses

Unfortunately
Panama was not yet an independent country by 1903 it was still under the control of Colombia The Colombians refused to grant the United States access to Panamanian land to build a canal

What do you think happened next?

Knowing that the United States eventually built the Panama Canal how do you think it was able to gain access to the land?

Hasta la Victoria, Siempre!

November 2, 1903 American warship Nashville steams into Panama on the Caribbean coast November 3, 1903 Panama believes it has American support and revolts against Colombia
Colombia sends forces to stop the revolt, but American troops turn them back

Feliz Da de la Independencia!
November 6, 1903 United States recognized Panamanian independence November 18, 1903 United States and Panama sign treaty establishing rights to the United States to build a canal in Panama

Canal Construction Travails

Panamas tropical climate was an ideal breeding ground for mosquitos
Construction workers had to deal with an epidemic of yellow fever and malaria Controlled the diseases by draining swamps, spraying insecticides, spreading oil on stagnant pools and cutting grass marshes Travails difficult work involving painful effort

Grand Opening
August 15, 1914 Panama Canal opens
Cut 7,000 miles off the voyage United States controlled the land ensuring strong US presence

Retelling
Think about what you just heard and wrote for one minute Turn to your partner and retell it
Partner: Ask questions for comprehension

Roosevelt Corollary
Theodore Roosevelt troubled by Latin American political instability Established Roosevelt Corollary:
The United States believed it could police Latin America and intervene when those countries seemed unstable 1905 US took control of Dominican Republics finances 1906 US sent troops to put down a revolution in Cuba

Speak softly and carry a big stick -TR

Dollar Diplomacy
William Howard Taft replaced the Roosevelt Corollary with Dollar Diplomacy
Believed that American business investments would bring stability to Latin America and profit and power to the United States American businesses helped build railroads, roads and harbors which strengthened trade for both the United States and Latin American countries 1912 Put down revolution in Nicaragua to protect American businesses

Substitute dollars for bullets. -William H. Taft

Moral Diplomacy
Woodrow Wilson shapes foreign policy based on morals by establishing Moral Diplomacy
To promote human rights and self-determination NOT to promote conquest 1914 United States seizes Mexican port to help revolutionaries overthrow Victoriano Huerta

Self-determination right of nation to choose its government

Venn Diagram
On a new sheet of paper, draw a Venn Diagram comparing the policies:
Roosevelt Corollary Dollar Diplomacy Moral Diplomacy