Imp #5: Latin America

South America: “Rich keep on getting richer”

• Problems:

1. Economic inequality

• Most ppl worked as farmers for wealthy landowners, didn’t get paid enough to survive, thus went into debt which passed on to their kids

• Why didn’t they just quit & run away?

2. Political problems

• Caudillos (= dictators) ruled

– Wealthy supported them b/c it didn’t upset their way of life

– Why didn’t the poor rebel?

3. Economic Dependence• Main source of $ = exports

(goods sent out of the country) of agricultural (farming) products like fruit & beef

• No industrialization! So, had to import (send in from other countries) manufactured goods like machines

This leads to….• Imports cost more than what they could

sell in exports puts them in DEBT!

• Foreign countries said – we’ll erase your debt if you let us control part of your country …

– Start of imperialism in S. Am.

Today, • What does the US export meaning

make here & sell around the world?

• What do we import meaning buy from other countries?

• How can this cause problems for the US?

Imperialism #6: US in Latin America

Cuba

• Tried to fight off Spanish

for 10 years- gave up.

• 1898, US who has

economic presence there

decides to help Cuba=

Spanish American War.– Lasts 6 weeks, US Wins

Jose Marti

Treaty

• US gets – Some

control of

Cuba– Guam,

Phillipines,

Puerto Rico

Panama• To shorten trade routes,

Theodore Roosevelt

(US President) offers

Colombia $10 million to

control Panama- they

want MORE!!

• So, Roosevelt

encourages Panama

to rebel-they do!

Panama Canal (1904-1914)• Panama become independent • US gives them $10 million & an annual fee to control the

canal zone.

• It takes 10 years to build. Six thousand workers will die due to dangerous conditions & disease. In the process, 240 million cubic yards of earth will be moved.