Theodore Roosevelt’s

Foreign Policy

USII.5b

Digital Resources

History Channel :Theodore Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy

The Century: America’s TimeSeeds of Change (3 of 3) – Roosevelt Corollary & The Panama CanalStart at 7:32End at 10:13

Evernote Lesson Bundle for the Roosevelt Corollary:

https://www.evernote.com/pub/brownb46/rooseveltcorollary

PBS: The Panama Canal

Panama Canal: PBS America

What’s a Corollary?

Definition: (noun)

a. Something that follows directly from

something that has been proven

b. Something that naturally follows

The Monroe Doctrine, 1823

Speech to Congress, December 2, 1823

1. The U.S. would stay out of European Affairs

2. The U.S. would not interfere with already existing

European colonies in the Western Hemisphere

3. No other nation could form a NEW colony in the

Western Hemisphere

4. Any attempt by a European nation to interfere with a

nation in the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as

a HOSTILE action…meaning an act of war

“[Peoples of the West] are henceforth not to be considered as

subjects for future colonization by any European Powers.”

Source: http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/monroe/aa_monroe_doctrine_2.html

1900 Presidential Campaign: McKinley & Roosevelt

“The American Flag has not been planted in foreign soil to acquire

more territory but for Humanity’s Sake”

Background Information: • Prior to the Spanish American War,

the U.S. had a policy of staying out of the affairs of European nations.

• Theodore Roosevelt was an imperialist…he believed that the U.S. should be able to take control of foreign nations for America’s economic benefit.

• However, if he said this publicly, it would not only make him look bad…it would make the United States look bad.

• He had to find an acceptable way to justify American Imperialism.

http://astem.edublogs.org/

Roosevelt’s Justification

for American Imperialism:

• At the time, Latin American banks were struggling to repay loans borrowed from European nations.

• This debt gave the European nations an opportunity to seize valuable assets from the Latin American nations in return for the money they were owed.

• This was a threat to American business interests in Latin American.

• This provided Roosevelt with the opportunity to transform the U.S. into a true imperial power!

http://astem.edublogs.org/

The Roosevelt Corollary: “Chronic Wrongdoing”

1904, in a speech to Congress, Roosevelt announced his amendment to the Monroe

Doctrine: In your handout, highlight any key words or phrases that provide insight into

the main purpose of the Roosevelt Corollary.

C. NOTES: Main Goal of the Roosevelt Corollary

1. Asserted the United States’ right to interfere in the

_________ matters of other nations in the __________.

2. Claimed the United States’ right to exercise international

____________.

3. Advocated the _________ Diplomacy, such as the building

of the ______________.

economic Americas

Panama Canal

police power

Big Stick

Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy:

“Big Stick Diplomacy”

“Speak softly and carry a big stick, you will go far.”

- Teddy Roosevelt

“The World’s Constable”

Source: http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/art-123246/A-cartoon-from-1905-shows-US-President-Theodore-Roosevelt-using

Panama Canal

“Panama – A New Sister Republic”

Examples of the

Roosevelt Corollary in Action: