The U.S. In Latin America

1. The U.S. In Latin America Chapter 9 Section 4

2. Puerto Rico • In 1900 congress passed the Foraker Act • Authorized POTUS to appoint a governor and part of the legislature of Puerto Rico • The rest of the legislature would be determined by a general election in PR • U.S. taxed Puerto Rican goods • Puerto Ricans did not have the same rights as U.S. citizens

3. Jones-Shafroth Act • Granted Puerto Ricans more citizenship rights • Gave them greater control of their legislature • Still didn’t have all the same rights as Americans

4. Cuba • Platt Amendment • Restricted rights of the Cubans • Brought Cuba within the US sphere • Prevented Cuba from making agreements with other nations without US approval • Required Cuba to lease naval stations to the US • Gave US the “right to intervene” to preserve order in Cuba • Cubans didn’t like it!

5. “Big Stick” Diplomacy • TR’s policy for US action in Latin America • Depended on a strong military to achieve goals • “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.” • America had a duty to “civilize” weaker nations • America’s captains of industry should be international leaders

6. Panama Canal • U.S. bought a French company’s claim in 1903 for $40 million • Before building a canal to connect the Pacific to the Atlantic the US needed the permission of the Colombian govt • Colombia demanded more than the US was willing to give • TR sent warships to assist in the Panamanian rebellion against Colombia

7. Panama Canal • Colombia backed down after the military presence of the US • Panama declared its independence and granted the US control over the “canal zone” • US agreed to pay Panama $10 million and annual rent of $250,000 • US transferred control in 1999

8. Panama Canal • More than 35,000 workers dug canal • More than 5,000 died from disease or accidents • Opened in 1914

9. Roosevelt Corollary • Europe was angry because Latin Americans were not paying debts to foreign investors • Updated the Monroe Doctrine • TR wanted to keep the Western Hemisphere free from European intervention • US would act as police • Latin Americans wanted to police themselves!

10. Taft’s “Dollar Diplomacy” • “Less big stick, more dollars” • “substitute dollars for bullets” • Wanted to increase American investments in Central American businesses and banks • “Big Stick” sometimes had to be used to protect “dollar diplomacy” • Example: Nicaragua…troops sent twice to protect the pro-American govt there

11. Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy Taft’s diplomacy basically failed

12. Wilson’s “Moral Diplomacy” • Unlike his predecessors, Wilson was anti-imperialism • Vowed US would not conduct territorial conquests, instead they would promote “human rights, national integrity, and opportunity.” • Despite his rhetoric, he still used military to “guide” Latin Americans • Example: Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Mexico

13. Wilson’s Moral diplomacy Wilson’s plan didn’t really work either :’(

14. Wilson sends troops to Mexico • Mexico arrested US sailors • Wilson sent in Marines and collapsed Mexican government • Things were good for a short time • Rebels rose again led by Pancho Villa • Villa attacked and killed 18 Americans in NM • Troops sent to Mexico on a “punitive expedition” • WWI distracted US from Villa

15. Poncho villa US gave up the hunt, but he was killed by an unknown assassin in 1923.

16. EXIT SLIP • At the end of the Spanish-American War, the U.S. had accomplished its goal of becoming a world power, a role we still retain today. What problems have we faced as a nation historically because of the role we play in the rest of the world?