The Panama Canal was a hard canal to build. The United States's president Theodore Roosevelt was very enthusiastic about this project. He offered Pnama $10 million plus a yearly payment for the right to build the canal. When the Columbian government demanded more money, the United States responded by encouraging a revolution in Panama. With the help of the United States Navy, Panama gained independence. At first, the canal didn't turn out well with diseased bugs spreading sickness. But finally, the Panama Canal opened in 1914 and was a crossroads of world trade.
Francisco Madero believed in democracy and wanted to strengthen its hold in Mexico. He announced his candidacy for president in early 1910. A little while afterward, Diaz had him arrested. From exile in the United States, Maderi cakked for an armed revolution against Diaz. This stirred the Mexican Revolution. Leaders arouse in differenet parts of Mexico and gathered their own armies.
The United States developed a substantial buisness holings in Cuba. It had no economic stake in the fate of the country. Also, the Spanish forced many Cuban civilizations into harsh concentration camps. Americans objected this horrible Spanish bruality. The United States joined th Cuban war for independence. The war lasted four months.
United States Commodore Perry took four ships into the Tokyo harbor to fight for trade. The massive black wooden ships powered by steam and cannons shocked the Japanese. The Tokugawa shogun had no choice but to recieve Perry and the letter Perry had brought for United States president Millard Fillmore.
The growing supply of Opium was causing major problems between the British and Chinese. In 1839, a Qing advisor wrote a letter to England's Queen Victoria about the growing problems. The letter was unanswered and Britian refused to stop trading opium. The result of this conflict was an open clash between China and Britian. All of the battles took place at sea. China's old ships were no match for Britian's steam-powered gunboats. The Chinese suffered defeat and signed a peace treaty.
United States President James Monroe issued the Monroe Doctrine in 1823. The Doctrine stated that "the Anerucab continents... are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers." The document made it clear the no European nation is to colonize and nation within the American continents. For a long time, the United States did little to enforce the Monroe Doctrine.
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