CH. 17-3 ROOSEVELT AND LATIN AMERICA

1. CH. 17-3 ROOSEVELT AND LATIN AMERICA AMERICAN HISTORY

2. CUBA AND PUERTO RICO • US expands its power in Latin America after the Spanish-American War • President McKinley set up military governments in Puerto Rico and Cuba • YELLOW FEVER IN CUBA • 1899--Leonard Wood appointed Governor of Cuba • Scientists make significant progress eliminating yellow fever • 85% of people that became infected died

3. US Army Doctors Walter Reed and William C. Gorgas studied the problem • Cuban doctor Carlos Juan Finlay thought that mosquitoes spread yellow fever • They drained all ponds with standing water • Within 6 months yellow fever had almost been wiped out in Havana, Cuba • US CONTROL OVER CUBA • Gov. Wood oversaw the writing of a new Cuban constitution in 1901

4. US had passed the Teller Amendment (US would not take over Cuba) but we were concerned some other country would try • US forced Cuba to include the Platt Amendment in its constitution • PLATT AMENDMENT—limited Cuba’s ability to sign treaties with other nations • It also gave the USA the right to intervene in Cuban Affairs • Required Cuba to lease land to the USA for naval and coaling stations • This led to the establishment of Guantanamo Bay.

5. Platt Amendment made Cuba a US PROTECTORATE (a country under the protection of another country) • The amendment was eventually repealed but the lease on Guantanamo Bay is still in force • GOVERNING PUERTO RICO • Puerto Rico governed as a territory • Foraker Act of 1900—US would appoint a governor and the upper house of the legislature • Puerto Rico would choose the lower house

6. 1917 law grants US citizenship to Puerto Ricans and allows them to choose all representatives • 1952—Puerto Rico becomes a self-governing commonwealth • Today Puerto Rico has power over most of its domestic affairs • The US government still controls interstate trade, immigration, and military affairs—just like it does for US states

7. THE PANAMA CANAL • People dreamed about a faster way to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans • 1880s—French company attempts to build a canal across the Isthmus of Panama (part of Columbia at the time) • Many obstacles prevented completion • The company went bankrupt and abandoned the project

8. U.S. INTEREST IN A CANAL • 1902—US bought the rights to the French canal property and equipment. • Sec. of State John Hay entered negotiations with Columbia to gain permanent use of the strip of land that would hold the canal. • 1903—Treaty drafted but Columbia’s senate would not ratify it

9. PANAMA’S REVOLUTION • President Roosevelt had a great interest in building a canal • Panamanian revolutionaries were trying to break free from Columbia • Roosevelt supported the revolution and it began on November 2, 1903 • Nov. 3—Panama declares its independence • A new treaty with Panama gave the US complete and unending sovereignty over a 10-mile wide canal zone

10. BUILDING THE PANAMA CANAL • American work on the canal began in May 1904 • Harsh working conditions, shortages of material and labor hampered construction • Serious outbreak of yellow fever occurred • Roosevelt appointed John F. Stevens as chief engineer • Stevens tackled the technical issues with Col. Dr. William Gorgas focused on sanitation

11. In addition to yellow fever, malaria was a growing problem • People could get malaria multiple times while they became immune to yellow fever • Eliminating mosquitoes required draining swamps, clearing vegetation, spreading oil on standing ponds • Spiders, ants, and lizards were introduced to feed on the adult mosquitoes • 1913—malaria was almost eliminated

12. 1907—John F. Stevens resigned; Lt. Col. George Goethals continued the mammoth task of coordinating construction • 60 giant steam shovels; 44,000 workers—many from the British West Indies • August 1914—SS Ancon became the first ship to officially pass through the Panama Canal

13. THE ROOSEVELT COROLLARY • Monroe Doctrine proclaimed in 1823 that the western hemisphere was off-limits to colonization by European countries • Late 1800s—Europeans and Americans invested large sums of money in Latin America • Wealth of laborers, consumers, and raw materials • Most money came from high-interest bank loans that countries had trouble repaying • 1904—Dominican Republic was unable to repay European lenders

14. Americans feared Europeans would try to collect • President Roosevelt issued the ROOSEVELT COROLLARY • “Chronic wrongdoing…in the western hemisphere…may force the USA, however reluctantly…to the exercise of an international police power.” • “Speak softly and carry a big stick” • Roosevelt hoped to avoid military conflict • Roosevelt Corollary helped stabilize the region

15. RESHAPING U.S. DIPLOMACY • During the presidency of William H. Taft, US influence in Latin American deepened • Taft believed in DOLLAR DIPLOMACY—a policy of promoting American economic interests in other countries and using economic power to achieve American policy goals • Taft suggested that America buy out European loans • 1914—America had invested $1.6 billion in Latin America

16. Dollar diplomacy caused resentment. • Nicaragua—American banks made loans to the government and became heavily involved in the economy • 1912-President Taft sent troops to quell an uprising • 1913—President Woodrow Wilson rejected dollar diplomacy in favor of moral diplomacy • The use of persuasion and American ideals to advance the nation’s interests

17. Wilson sends troops to Haiti (1915) and Dominican Republic (1916) to stop civil unrest • Both cases Marines occupied these countries for years • THE END