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

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

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

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!

“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

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

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

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

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!

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

Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy Taft’s diplomacy basically failed

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

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

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

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

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?