The Imperial Debate:

The Imperial Debate:

The Americas 1898-1914

Sp/Am War Aftermath:The Imperial Debate

• Teller Amendment (1898)- United States will not establish permanent control over Cuba– US sugar, tobacco, fruit companies invest heavily,

buy huge tracts of land

• Platt Amendment (1901)- Forbids Cuba to enter into any other foreign treaties– US may intervene militarily / lease land for bases– Part of Cuban constitution despite protests


• Hawaii/Puerto Rico annexed summer of 1898• Philippines (narrowly) annexed in 1899– Guerilla war lasts until 1901– Location key to trade in China

• Secretary of State John Hay proclaims an “open door” to China to European powers– US helps put down ‘boxer rebellion’– China divided into ‘spheres of influence’


• US purchases rights to build Panama Canal• $10 mil for rights PLUS $250,000 per year for

100 years• Columbian senate rejects, Panamanians revolt• U.S. sends warships as a signal to Colombians• Panamanian independence established, canal

is completed by 1914


• European capital still flooding into Latin America – loans and debt rise

• In 1901, German, British, Italians blockade Venezuela over debts

• Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine• US has power to manage foreign debt of all

countries in the hemisphere


• Roosevelt Corollary implementation becomes known as ‘Dollar Diplomacy’ during Taft

• An effort to replace military might with financial know how

• Sparks resentment in Latin America – various responses– Honduras – U.S. ‘sponsored’ revolution– Nicaragua – rejects DD, U.S. companies acquire

banking and railroads


• Woodrow Wilson elected in 1912 – denounces Big Stick diplomacy

• Idealism of Wilson’s “moral diplomacy”• U.S. will offer a model to the world based on

Constitutional principles and Christian morality

• Leads to military intervention in Mexico, Hispanola, Chile

The Imperial Debate:

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