U.S. foreign policy towards Latin America in the 19th century offers a preview of how the U.S. government will treat Latin America during the 20th century; especially during the Cold War.

1. Nineteenth Century
U.S.-Latin American Relations

2. “Founding Fathers”
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“I have ever looked on Cuba as the most interesting
addition which could ever be made to our system of
states.” --Thomas Jefferson
•
•
Adams, Madison, Monroe and Quincy Adams, too!
•
Presidents Polk (1840s) and Pierce (1850s) tried to buy Cuba
“...Cuba, forcibly disjoined from its own unnatural
connection with Spain, and incapable of self-support,
can gravitate only toward the North American
Union...” --U.S. minister to Spain

3. Monroe Doctrine (1823)
• U.S. hegemony
• Paper tiger
• Influences: “manifest destiny” &
Roosevelt Corollary

4. U.S.-Mexican War 1846-1848
• Causes?
• Spot resolution
• Effects

5. William Walker (1856-1857)
• motives in Nicaragua
• reaction in the USA
• Cornelius Vanderbilt
• Honduran firing squad

6. Spanish-American War 1898
• Causes?
• yellow journalism
• protectorate
• Guantanamo Bay
• seeds of Cuban Revolution (1959)

7. Creation of Panama
• Motives
• longterm connection to USFP
“We bought it, we paid for it, we built it, and we intend to keep
it.” President Reagan