Transcript A New Foreign Policy

A New Foreign Policy
Section 3
The Panama Canal
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Americans needed a shorter route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
A French company had bought a 25-year concession from Colombia to build
a canal across Panama.
concession: a grant for a piece of land in exchange for a promise to use the
land for a specific purpose.
Defeated by yellow fever and mismanagement, the company abandoned the
project and offered its remaining rights to the United States for $100 million.
Q&A
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Why was the building of the canal
important?
A: facilitated movement between
Atlantic and Pacific ports
Columbia gets in the way
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The Us agreed to purchase the canal
zone for $40 Million if the Columbians
agree to a lease with the Americans
Columbia decides to wait for the
French concession to run out and
charge more
Roosevelt gets fed up and threatens
Columbia if they don’t reconsider
Revolt in Panama
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Roosevelt secretly makes an agreement
with Philippe Bunau-Varilla to organize a
revolt in Panama.
US war ships support the Revolution and
the US becomes it’s protector.
In return Panama grants the US a 10 mile
wide strip for the Canal that the US would
have complete control over for $10 Million
Q&A
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How did the United States acquire
control of the Canal Zone?
A: Organized a Revolt in Panama
Building the Canal
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Construction began in 1904 and ended 10
years later in 1914
canal was plagued by problems, including
disease (particularly malaria and yellow
fever) and landslides
By the time the canal was completed, a
total of 27,500 workmen are estimated to
have died in the French and American
efforts.
Through Panama Canal
Video
Roosevelt’s Big Stick
Diplomacy
“Speak softly and carry a big stick and you will go far.”
Roosevelt used this old African proverb to guide his foreign
policy.
• The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine — The
United States will act as “an international police power” in
the Western Hemisphere and intervene to prevent
intervention by other powers.
• Roosevelt in Latin America — Under Roosevelt, the United
States often intervened in Latin America.
• Roosevelt in Asia — Roosevelt wanted to preserve an open
door to trade with China. He won a Nobel peace prize for
negotiating a peace settlement between Russia and Japan.
Roosevelt's Legacy
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Roosevelt is Remembered for
expanding Presidential Power
Threatened to Use the Navy to
maintain stability on neighboring
countries
Q&A
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What is the Central Message of the Roosevelt Corollary?
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A: The US would use force to prevent intervention in the
affairs of neighboring countries
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What is President Teddy Roosevelt remembered for?
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A: Expanding Presidential power
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What did Roosevelt threaten to use the US Navy to do?
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A: maintain stability in neighboring countries
William Howard Taft
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Elected President in 1908
Taft believed in maintaining influence
through American investments, not
military might.
This policy was called dollar
diplomacy.
Taft’s Legacy
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The United States reached new heights of
international power under Roosevelt and
Taft.
However, the policies of both Presidents
also created enemies in Latin America and a
growing international resentment of U.S.
intervention.
Revolutionary Movements in Latin America
Undermined his Dollar Diplomacy making it
a virtual failure.
Q&A
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Who was William Howard Taft?
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A: President know n for his “Dollar Diplomacy”
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President Taft was known for a foreign policy based on What?
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A: Economic Investment
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What undermined Taft’s Approach to Foreign policy?
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A: Local Revolutionary Movements in Latin America
Woodrow Wilson
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Under Wilson, the United States applied
more moral and legalistic standards to
foreign policy decisions.
Wilson’s policy drew the United States into
the complex and bloody Mexican Revolution.
Wilson’s “moral diplomacy” did not work
well in Mexico. Many lives were lost, and
U.S. financial interests lost ground.
U.S.–Mexico relations were strained for
many years