2. A New Canal to Connect the Oceans
• The Spanish-American War had
demonstrated the need to
shorten the distance between
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Two possible routes were
examined:
-through the isthmus of Panama
-through Nicaragua
• The route through Nicaragua
was preferred by many until a
volcano in the area erupted
3. Panama Canal
• The U.S. finally settled on
Panama as the nest
route. Panama was
controlled by Columbia.
• When negotiations with
Columbia failed, the U.S.
supported a Panamanian
revolution. The U.S. then
negotiated with Panama
for a canal zone.
4. Panama Canal continued…
• Building the Panama
Canal took more than 10
years (1904-1914) and
cost many lives lost to
disease.
• A U.S. doctor, William
Gorgas, led a campaign to
rid Panama’s swamps and
jungles of the mosquitoes
which carried the deadly
diseases.
5. American Interests in Latin America:
• Monroe Doctrine
(1823) - The U.S.
warned European
countries to
respect the
independence of
Latin American
countries
6. Extension of the Monroe Doctrine:
• When European nations
began to threaten
intervention in some Latin
American countries,
President Theodore
Roosevelt stated that the
U.S. should take on the
duties of an international
police force for the
Western Hemisphere.
• This would be known as
the Roosevelt Corollary to
the Monroe Doctrine
7. Dollar Diplomacy:
• U.S. business investment in Latin America grew
dramatically in the early 1900s. To protect and
promote this investment, Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson
used money (such as loans to governments) as well as
diplomacy
• Venezuelan Boundary Controversy- 1895 When the
British challenged the boundary between Venezuela
and British Guiana and refused arbitration, President
Cleveland asked Congress to appoint a commission to
settle the matter.
• The British then agreed to arbitration. This enhanced
U.S. prestige and established the U.S. as a great power.
8. Intervention in Mexico:
• The U.S. had invested heavily in Mexican
business. When the Mexican Revolution
began in 1910, the U.S. became
concerned about our southern
neighbors.
• American troops landed in Veracruz in
1914 to try and calm the situation. The
troops were withdrawn when a more
moderate government took over.
• However, when Pancho Villa’s men
attacked Columbus, New Mexico,
President Wilson ordered General John
Pershing into northern Mexico to
capture Villa.
• The chase was abandoned when the U.S.
entered World War I in 1917
Raid on Columbus New
Mexico
9. U.S. Interest in Africa:
• The U.S. interest was primary in the expansion of
trade into African markets. This led to the
proposal for an:
• Open Door Policy-an appeal to allow all countries
to trade in western Africa on an equal basis.
• To win European support for this, the U.S. had to
agree to support the control of the Congo by
Belgium. However, the Belgians were cruel and
support of this cruel government in the Congo
tainted American action in Africa.
10. The Election of 1912
• The Republican party split
between progressives and
conservatives
• T. Roosevelt and his
followers would form a new
party called the Progressive
Party. (Bull Moose Party)
• The split would benefit the
Democratic party.
• The Socialist party would
also have a candidate. A Punch cartoon, by Leonard Raven-Hill
depicting the perceived aggression
between Taft and Roosevelt.
11. Results of the Election
• Progressive T. Roosevelt:
88 electoral votes
• Republican W. Taft:
8 electoral votes
• Socialist E. V. Debs
0 electoral votes
• Democrat W. Wilson
435 electoral votes
12. Woodrow Wilson’s New Freedom
• His goal was to attack the “triple wall of privilege”
-trusts: Clayton Antitrust Act (add further substance to the U.S.
antitrust law regime by seeking to prevent anticompetitive practices)
& Federal Trade Commission Act (This commission was authorized to
issue “cease and desist” orders to large corporations to curb unfair
trade practices)
-tariffs: Underwood Tariff & 16th Amendment (re-imposed the federal
income tax following the ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment
and lowered basic tariff rates from 40% to 25%)
-High finance (banks): Federal Reserve Act: (set up the Federal Reserve
System, the central banking system of the United States of America,
and granted it the legal authority to issue Federal Reserve Notes)
13. World War One
• The war starts in Europe
(June 28th 1914) during
Woodrow Wilson’s first
term in office. The
United States maintained
a policy of non-
intervention.
