Changes

United States President James Monroe ended European imperialism in Latin America with his famous “Monroe Doctrine” in 1823, which demanded that Europe not colonize any more areas in the Western Hemisphere.  Britain quickly agreed and the other European countries followed suit.  Spain pulled out of its last remaining colonies (Cuba and Puerto Rico) in 1901, when the United States defeated it in the six-week-long Spanish-American War.

United States President James Monroe ended European imperialism in Latin America with his famous “Monroe Doctrine” in 1823, which demanded that Europe not colonize any more areas in the Western Hemisphere.  Britain quickly agreed and the other European countries followed suit.  Spain pulled out of its last remaining colonies (Cuba and Puerto Rico) in 1901, when the United States defeated it in the six-week-long Spanish-American War.

Some in Latin America complain about imperialism by the United States there.  After the French unsuccessfully attempted in the 1880s to build a canal across the thin island of Panama to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Americans were ready to apply our “can do” determination and innovation to the project.  President Teddy Roosevelt rejected a demand by Colombia to sell the land to us, and waited until after Panama won its independence from Colombia.  Panama then granted the United States a ten-mile-wide path across its country.  The United States completed the Panama Canal in 1914 and it became an instant success for shipping.

Some in Latin America complain about imperialism by the United States there.  After the French unsuccessfully attempted in the 1880s to build a canal across the thin isthmus of Panama to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Americans were ready to apply our “can do” determination and innovation to the project.  President Teddy Roosevelt rejected a demand by Colombia to sell the land to us, and waited until after Panama won its independence from Colombia.  Panama then granted the United States a ten-mile-wide path across its country.  The United States completed the Panama Canal in 1914 and it became an instant success for shipping.

Democratic President Jimmy Carter arranged for the United States to agree to give the canal back to Panama, even though Americans paid for its construction, beginning in 1979 and culminating in 1999.  President Carter claimed the canal was part of improper imperialism or colonization by the United States in Latin America.  In New Jersey, a Republican Senator who favored the give-back treaty was defeated in his own primary for reelection, reflecting enormous public disapproval of the treaty.  Today Panama allows communist China to run the canal, making many wonder if the United States would even be able to use it in wartime.

Democratic President Jimmy Carter arranged for the United States to agree to give the canal back to Panama, even though Americans paid for its construction, beginning in 1979 and culminating in 1999.  President Carter claimed the canal was part of improper imperialism or colonization by the United States in Latin America.  In New Jersey, a Republican Senator who favored the give-back treaty was defeated in his own primary for reelection, reflecting enormous public disapproval of the treaty.  Today Panama allows communist China to run the canal, making many wonder if the United States would even be able to use it in wartime.