1. Imperialism in Latin America
Preview
Main Idea / Reading Focus
Power Struggles in Mexico
Faces of History: Emiliano Zapata
Growing U.S. Influence
Map: United States Intervention in the Caribbean
Visual Study Guide / Quick Facts
Video: The Impact of Imperialism

2. Imperialism in Latin America
Main Idea
Imperialism in Latin America involved the United States and European nations seeking to strengthen their political and economic influence over the region.
Reading Focus
How did various groups struggle for power in Mexico before and during the Mexican Revolution?
How did growing U.S. influence in Latin America change the region?

3. Power Struggles in Mexico
Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821 and became a republic in 1823, but political factions struggled for control of the government. Conflicts caused violence well into the next century.
In the 30 years after independence, Antonio López de Santa Ana dominated Mexican politics
Popular for military victories
Served as president five times
Early Conflicts
Began career as liberal reformer
As power increased, became conservative
Exiled several times; returned when enemies defeated
1855, overthrown by group of reformers, exiled, never returned
Santa Ana’s Rule
Leader of reformers, Benito Juárez, reduced power of Catholic Church, military
Conservatives outraged; civil war erupted
Juárez, liberal allies triumphed
Juárez’s Reforms

4. Power Struggles in Mexico
Conservatives found ally in Europe
French emperor Napoleon III wanted to restore French empire in Americas
1861, sent French troops into Mexico, overthrew government, installed Austrian archduke Maximilian as emperor of Mexico
The Second Mexican Empire
Maximilian ended up alienating both conservatives, liberals
French withdrew troops; Maximilian did not have enough support to stay in power; surrendered; executed
Mexican Republic restored; Juárez reelected president, became one of Mexico’s greatest national heroes
Republic Restored

5. The Mexican Revolution
Díaz’s Rule
Porfirio Díaz came to power after Juarez’s death
Ruled with iron fist; maintained law and order in Mexico
Imprisoned opponents; used army to keep peace at any cost
Modernization
Díaz helped modernize Mexico by encouraging foreign investment
Exports boomed; railroads expanded quickly; yet most remained poor
Wealth concentrated in hands of foreign investors, Mexican elite
The Mexican Revolution
Díaz controlled outcome of 1910 election; jailed opponent, Francisco Madero
Madero freed from jail; fled to Texas
Declared himself president; called for revolution against Díaz government

6. Villa and Zapata Madero returned to Mexico, found rebellion spreading.
Two men gathered support from lowest classes, began attacking government forces
Francisco “Pancho” Villa led band of rebels supporting Madero’s ideas; disgraced Diaz’s government by capturing city of Juarez, 1911
Emiliano Zapata led group of indigenous peasants, called for land reforms
Díaz soon forced to resign

8. United States Involvement
More Violence
Madero elected president later that year; turmoil continued
Within months, army chief Victoriano Huerta seized power, imprisoned Madero
Former Madero supporters opposed Huerta
United States Involvement
Pancho Villa’s army of small ranchers and cowboys in the north and Zapata’s peasant army in the south revolted against Huerta.
1914, United States intervened, sent Marines to occupy Veracruz
Brought Mexico, U.S. close to war
Huerta tried to stay in power, but resigned and fled to Spain

9. Carranza as President
Venustiano Carranza declared himself president. Zapata and Villa refused support and the nation was plunged into another civil war.
End of 1915, Venustiano Carranza had defeated rivals
Villa continued to lead attacks against Carranza government
U.S. backed Carranza; Villa retaliated, launched attack across U.S. border
U.S. forces pursued Villa back across border, but unable to capture him
Carranza Opposed
1920, Villa finally agreed to halt attacks, Carranza began nation building
New constitution allowed the government to redistribute land, limited power of church, protected citizens’ rights
Mexico still struggled with widespread poverty
Carranza Reforms

10. What were the major events of the Mexican Revolution?
Sequence
What were the major events of the Mexican Revolution?
Answer(s): President Porfirio Diaz jailed his opponent, Francisco Madero; Madero called for a revolution; Francisco "Pancho" Villa led a band of rebels who captured city of Juárez; Emiliano Zapata called for land reforms; Diaz resigned

11. Growing U.S. Influence
The United States had become a growing economic force in Latin America by the late 1800s. Economic power and political power grew together, and the United States exerted its influence and control in many ways.
Island of Cuba one of Spain’s colonies in the Americas
1860s, Cuban nationalists began fighting for independence
Spain exiled leaders of nationalist revolts
Uprising in Cuba
One exiled leader, José Martí, continued struggle for independence from New York City
Poet, journalist, Martí urged Cubans to continue fight
Founded Cuban Revolutionary Party; returned to Cuba, 1895
Cuban Nationalists
Martí was killed in an uprising against the Spanish. Thousands of Cubans were forced into Spanish-controlled camps where many died.

12. The Spanish-American War
Sympathy for Rebels
Many people in U.S. felt sympathy for Cuban rebels
Viewed Cuban struggle for freedom as similar to American Revolution
American newspapers urged United States to enter war
War Begins
February 1898, U.S. battleship Maine exploded in Havana’s harbor
Many American’s immediately assumed Spain was to blame
Congress declared war; Spanish-American War began
Short War
War disastrous for Spain
Spanish army defeated in Cuba, navy fleets destroyed in Philippines, Cuba
U.S. won war within three months

13. Treaty ending Spanish-American War
Peace Treaty
Treaty ending Spanish-American War
United States received Puerto Rico, Guam
Agreed to purchase Philippines for twenty million dollars
Spain agreed to give up Cuba, but U.S. did not want Cuba to have full independence
U.S. made Cuba a protectorate by forcing it to include Platt Amendment as part of new constitution
Platt Amendment allowed U.S. to intervene in Cuba, approve foreign treaties, lease land at Guantánamo Bay for naval base

14. Revolt in the Philippines
Status in Philippines
Nationalists in the Philippines, another Spanish colony, believed Spanish-American war would bring them independence
Instead became U.S. colony
Betrayal and Revolt
Rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo, who cooperated with U.S. forces against Spanish, felt betrayed
Rebels revolted against U.S.
No Independence
Three years of fighting
More than 200,000 Filipinos died from combat, disease
Did not win independence
Ruling Philippines
Until 1935, U.S. ruled Philippines through governor appointed by U.S. president
1946, Philippines granted full independence

15. The Panama Canal Panama Canal Zone Building the Canal
U.S. gained control over more territory with building of Panama Canal
1880s, French company had tried unsuccessfully to build canal across Isthmus of Panama, then part of Colombia
1903, U.S. bought French property, equipment
Colombia refused to allow U.S. to build canal
U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt sent warships to support uprising against Colombia
Panama declared independent, signed treaty granting land to build canal; became Panama Canal Zone, ruled directly by U.S.
Panama Canal Zone
, Panama Canal built
Major medical advances required to control effects of yellow fever, malaria on canal workers
Shortened sea voyage from San Francisco to New York City by about 8,000 miles
Building the Canal

16. A Warning to Europeans Monroe Doctrine
1823, Monroe Doctrine declared Americas off limits to European imperialism, except for colonies that already existed
Seen as idle threat by U.S. until end of Spanish-American War
Considerable Financial Interests
Late 1800s, Europe and U.S. had considerable financial interests in Latin America; many nations there were deeply indebted to foreign creditors
1904, European creditors threatened force to collect in Dominican Republic
Roosevelt Corollary
To protect U.S. interests, maintain stability, Roosevelt announced the Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe Doctrine
The U.S. vowed to use military might to keep Europeans out of the Americas

17. Increasing U.S. Power
United States sent troops to several nations in early 1900s
U.S. forces entered Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Cuba to restore civil order
United States took control of finances in those countries
Claimed need to prevent financial chaos
Reality: U.S. used Roosevelt Corollary to become even more involved in political affairs of Latin American countries

19. Find the Main Idea
How did the United States gain control over more territory in the late 1800s and early 1900s?
Answer(s): gained Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines after the Spanish-American War; ruled the Panama Canal Zone after supporting an uprising against Colombia; added the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine; sent troops to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Cuba

21. Video The Impact of Imperialism
Click above to play the video.