Imperialism in Latin America

Economic Imperialism

End of the 1800s: the United States & Europe were buying large amounts of products form Latin America

U.S. & Europe began to invest money into Latin America

1. Built factories2. Bought ranches &

plantations3. Owned railroads

Outcome

Latin American countries hoped this would help their economies

Took out loans with U.S. & Europe to make internal improvements

Outcomes:Sent money back to their own countriesCould not pay back loans; troops sent in to claim loan or

land

Spanish-American War

Beginning of 1898: Cuba fighting Spain for Independence(Cuba on verge of victory, Americans worry about business interests)

Feb. 15, 1898: U.S.S. Maine explodes in Havana harbor(U.S. blames Spain, Americans upset)

April 1898: U.S. declares war (Spanish-American War)

May 1898: U.S. defeats Spain in Philippines

July 1898: U.S. troops arrive in Cuba(Theodore Roosevelt & Rough Riders become most famous)

December 1898: Treaty of Paris ends war(Cuba “independent”, U.S. gains Guam, Puerto Rico, & the Philippines)

Cuba gains Independence but…

U.S. troops remain in Cuba

After two years Cuba allowed to create own government & constitution but had to include:

The Platt Amendment1. Gave U.S. the right to

intervene in Cuba2. Keep a permanent naval base3. Cubans foreign policy

restricted

The Panama Canal

Problem: 13,000 from Pacific to Atlantic

1st Attempt: French try to build canal but fail (1890s)

U.S. interested in building canal through Panama, Colombia will not allow it Business leaders in Panama revolt,

U.S. assists

Panama wins independence, allows U.S. to build the Panama Canal (1903-1914)

The Roosevelt Corollary

In 1904 President Roosevelt adds to the Monroe Doctrine

Stated that:1. U.S. would act to prevent any

outside interference in Latin America

2. U.S. had right to “stabilize economic affairs of Latin America”

This angers many Latin Americans, leads to future U.S. intervention in Latin America