The Panama CanalThe United States and Imperialism
Chapter 11.4
Panama Canal
• A French company fails to build a canal across the Isthmus of Panama.
• This portion of land belonged to Colombia at the time
• In 1903, the U.S. buys the French property and equipment, but Colombia refuses to let them build.
• President Theodore Roosevelt sends warships to support an uprising against Colombia.
• Panama declares independence
Panama Canal
• Panama Canal Zone– a treaty granting the U.S. a strip of land to build the canal, directly ruled by U.S.
Modern wonder
• Built between 1904 and 1914.
• A marvel of modern engineering
• Major medical advances invented to control the effects of yellow fever and malaria upon canal workers
• Shortened the voyage from San Francisco to New York by 8,000 miles
Monroe Doctrine
• 1823 proclamation
• The U.S. declared off limits to European imperialism except for colonies that already existed
• Europeans saw this as an idle threat until Spanish-American War
Roosevelt Corollary
• Many Latin American nations deep in debt to Europe
• In 1904, the European creditors threatened military action against the Dominican Republic to collect their debt
• President Roosevelt announced the Roosevelt Corollary which was added to the Monroe Doctrine
• Roosevelt Corollary – The U.S. vowed to use military force out of the Americas
More outcomes of u.s. involvement
• The U.S. sent troops to several Latin American countries to restore civil order in the early 1900’s.
• U.S. forces entered: Haiti, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Cuba
• U.S. takes control of finances of these countries to stop financial chaos
• The U.S. use the Roosevelt Corollary to increase influence in Latin America
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