The U.S. in Latin America

Latin America After Independence

• Economic problems- workers during colonial times accrued huge debt while wealthy landowners got richer. After independence the wealthy landowners snatched up land that used to belong to the natives and to the church

• Political problems- rise of caudillos (dictators) after independence. Upper classes supported them. Lower class was used to it from colonialism. This stalled reform

Economies Grow Under Foreign Influence

• After colonialism Britain and the U.S. became biggest trading partners of L. America• L. America exporting goods like food and importing manufactured goods. Therefore,

manufacturing industry didn’t develop• L. America didn’t use any profits to reinvest in infrastructure like roads, schools, etc.

and instead borrowed money from richer European and Americans, which put them further in debt and allowed others to take over their industries.

• Thus- economic imperialism

The United States and Latin America

• U.S. had security interests in Latin America• Monroe Doctrine – 1823- “Hey, Europe- don’t colonize any part of the

Americas or we will consider it a war against us and we will fight!”

Panama Canal and the Roosevelt Corollary

• Panama Canal- Roosevelt wanted to build the canal. The Columbians said no. So, the U.S. helped revolutionaries in Panama gain their independence. As a reward to the U.S., they were granted their canal, which opened in 1914

• Roosevelt Corollary- 1904- extension to the Monroe Doctrine, which gave the U.S. the right to be an “international police power”- others should not try exert influence over L. America

The U.S. and Cuba

• Cuba- tried to get independence from Spain but failed. U.S. had economic interests in Cuba

• Jose Marti- writer- returned to Cuba to fight for independence 1895• 1898- Spanish – American War- 4 years. Spain loses and U.S. gets

territory from Spain including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Phillipines. • Cuba gets independence from Spain in 1901 but resents U.S. involvement

Free Response

We have learned about European imperialism in Africa and Asia. How does it compare to U.S. actions in Latin America?