Beyond the ChagresJames S. Gilbert

Beyond the Chagres River Are paths that lead to

death - To the fever’s deadly

breezes, To malaria’s poisonous

breath! Beyond the tropic foliage, Where the alligator waits, Are the mansions of the

Devil - His original estates!

Beyond the Chagres River Are paths fore’er

unknown, With a spider ‘neath each

pebble, A scorpion ‘neath each

stone. ‘Tis here the boa-

constrictor His fatal banquet holds, And to his slimy bosom His hapless guest enfolds!

Beyond the Chagres River Lurks the cougar in his

lair, And ten hundred thousand

dangers Hide in the noxious air. Behind the trembling

leaflets, Beneath the fallen reeds, Are ever-present perils Of a million different

breeds!

Beyond the Chagres River ‘Tis said - the story’s old - Are paths that lead to

mountains Of purest virgin gold; But ‘tis my firm conviction, Whatever tales they tell, That beyond the Chagres

River All paths lead straight to

hell!

NEW AMERICAN DIPLOMACY NOTESCH 7, sect. 3

Theodore Roosevelt’s Rise to Power Election of 1900

Roosevelt became Vice President for McKinley who ran on imperialism Vice-presidency was a way to

keep Roosevelt in the background because the title held little responsibility

Anarchist stepped out from a crowd of people at an appearance in Buffalo, NY and shot the president twice

McKinley died a few days later

Roosevelt became youngest president ever to hold office and was determined to make the US a world power

American Diplomacy in Asia Open Door Policy

Russia, China, Japan, Germany, France, and Britain were all arguing over control of land and spheres of influence in Asia

U.S. wants “Open Door Policy” All countries should be allowed to trade with China (which is what they all

really wanted) China had no say

Countries agreed in theory, but refused to completely agree unless everyone else did because they wanted to break China up into colonies

Boxer Rebellion A secret society, which Americans called the Boxers, formed to get rid

of “foreign devils” and their Christian converts who they believed were corrupting Chinese society

In the Boxer Rebellion “Boxers” seized foreign embassies in Beijing, killing more than 200 foreigners and taking others prisoner until the US and other countries stepped in

Balancing Power in East Asia

Roosevelt supported Open Door policy to prevent any single nation from controlling trade in China

Roosevelt helped negotiate a treaty between Japan and Russia, which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize

U.S. and Japan were competing for power in East Asia

Roosevelt sent out 16 battleships (The Great White Fleet) of the U.S. Navy to demonstrate the nation’s military power This didn’t help relations with

Japan

The Panama Canal Roosevelt realized need for canal to reduce time and

money required for commercial and military shipping U.S. had signed a treaty with Great Britain stating that we

wouldn’t build a canal without them, but we signed another treaty later that said the opposite

French tried to build a canal and failed, but offered to sell their rights to us

U.S. Secretary of State offered Colombia (who controlled Panama) $10 million and a yearly rent of $250,000 for the right to build the canal and to control a narrow strip of land on either side

Colombia wouldn’t agree to the price, so Panama had to declare independence to get the canal built and they knew they would have support from the U.S.

Roosevelt sent battleships to step in on the side of Panama and we signed a treaty with newly independent Panama for control of the canal zone

The Roosevelt Corollary Roosevelt believed that the U.S.

should “speak softly and carry a big stick”

U.S. would step into Latin American affairs if necessary to maintain economic and political stability in the Western Hemisphere

Made U.S. unpopular with Latin American countries, but Taft (who followed Roosevelt as president) continued to use this policy and believed that if American business leaders supported Latin American and Asian development, everyone would benefit This came to be known as “dollar

diplomacy”

Troubles in Mexico Mexican dictator Porfirio

Diaz brought order to Mexico, but did so by oppressing the people

Wealth was in the hands of a few elite and most Mexicans were terribly poor

Emiliano Zapata led an army of peasants in southern Mexico to try to overthrow Diaz

Pancho Villa led an army in the north and helped drive Diaz out of power

The United States Intervenes

American troops had been arrested without cause They were quickly released and

Mexican officials apologized U.S. Admiral Henry Mayo demanded

that the Mexicans give the American flag a 21-gun salute within 24 hours They refused

President asked Congress to authorize use of force against Mexico

Before they could approve, Wilson heard about a German ship loaded with weapons for Mexico heading for the city of Veracruz and ordered the Navy to seize the city

17 Americans and 300 Mexicans died in the Battle of Veracruz

U.S. troops occupied the city for 6 months

Huerta, the new leader of Mexico, was pressured to step down from power and resigned

The Revolution Concludes With Huerta gone, Venustiano Carranza

declared himself leader, but was opposed by Zapata and Villa

When President Woodrow Wilson supported Carranza as the president of Mexico, Villa was outraged and killed Americans in Mexico and New Mexico

For 11 months, American forces looked for Pancho Villa but were unable to find him The farther we went into Mexican territory,

the more they resented us Carranza created a new constitution

for Mexico protecting liberties and rights of citizens and using ideas of all the revolutionary groups Fighting in Mexico continued, the economy

suffered, and many Mexicans moved to America in search of a more stable life