Transcript Latin America

Latin America
Paul Choi
Eunice Jang
Jason Park
Jenn Kim
Background Information
• Latin America had just gained independence from Europe
• During the colonial times, many people had worked for land
owners making landowners just wealthier
• This was because they had sold their lands and made
money from that
• Latin America was still unstable
• Army leaders used their power and eventually controlled the
new nation as a dictator (caudillos)
– Juan Vincente Gonmez
• Upper class supported caudilllo b/c power was given to upper
class
• This society was normal for Latin America
So What Happened?
• United States and Britain became Latin America’s main
trade partners
• Latin America’s economy naturally depended on exports
• Imported other counties’ goods, not helping their economy
• Latin America, inexperienced borrowed money to develop
more exporting industries
• When Latin America couldn’t pay back the dept to US and
France
– Threatened to collect by force or take over all the
industries made before
Monroe Doctrine & Roosevelt
Corollary
“ American continents will not be colonialized by European
countries any more” & “international police power”
US
•Had done it for “safety
reasons”
•This was an excuse for US to
interfere with Latin America
•Prevented Europe from
attacking
•Ignored protests
•Used Roosevelt Corollary to
“justify”
Latin America
•Knew that they were only
named “independent”
•Wanted actual freedom
•Hated US troops coming in
and “helping”
•Unfortunately were powerless
to stop US
Spanish-American War
Cuba tried to gain independence from Spain in 1898, and won
easily due to the fact that Spain was already worn out from
other wars.
US
•This started US’s imperial
power towards Latin America
•This was a witty strategy to
make not only Spain but other
colonies under US
•Puerto Rico, Guam, Philippines
also became US territories
Latin America
•Abhorred US’s military
government
•Hated how US had taken their
freedom away
•Resented Us intervention
THE PANAMA CANAL (1903)
Witty US encouraged Panama to start a revolution, and when
they won, Panama gave US a 10 mile zone to build a canal
US
•Used for their own good- for
trading
•Collected money for using
this canal, so did not even
have to pay with their own
money
•This helped US expanded its
influence to Latin America
•United states controlled
tollgate
Latin America
•This was an opportunity for
their freedom
•Gave up a huge amount of
land
•However, Latin America
became the biggest
crossroads of world trade
Bibilography
• Beck, Rodger B., and Linda Black. Modern World History.
McDougal Littell.
• "American Imperialism (Overview)." World History: The
Modern Era. 2008. ABC-CLIO. 20 Jan. 2008
<http://www.worldhistory.abc-clio.com>.
• "American Imperialism." Historywiz. Small Planet
Communications, Inc. 21 Jan. 2008
<http://www.historywiz.com/laimperialism.htm>.