ROOSEVELTS BIG STICK DIPLOMACY By Abby Katir and

ROOSEVELT’S BIG STICK DIPLOMACY By Abby Katir and Altin Zaku

TABLE OF CONTENTS Effects Cartoon Explanation Time Frame & Pres. C A U S E S Value Limitations T. W. E.

THE CARTOON

EXPLANATION • Roosevelt’s political ideology and motto was “Speak softly and carry a big stick” • Roosevelt aggressively intervened in global affairs because he wanted U. S. to be a world power • The political cartoon shows a giant Roosevelt portrayed as a giant with his “big stick” in tow as he marches through Latin America in his Navy uniform • The image is the recreation of a scene from Gulliver’s Travels with Roosevelt as the giant • Roosevelt pulling along his fleet of steel warships that are labelled “Debt Collector”, “Sheriff”, “The Receiver” etc. as a play on in his involvement in the economic affairs of the Latin American continent • Roosevelt believed that America should intervene and manage the money of Latin American countries that owed debt to European Countries

TIME FRAME & PRESIDENT DURING THE INTERACTION Time Frame: • Took place during the Progressive Era (Specifically began 1901 in a speech by Roosevelt as Vice President) President at the time: • Roosevelt was the Vice President when he first used the term but became president 8 days later after Mc. Kinley's assassination

CAUSES OF THE INTERACTION • At the time, there was the rise of imperialism, an aggressive political ideology that promoted the control and annexation of other lands through political, economic, or military means • Roosevelt wanted US. To become acknowledged as a legitimate world power • His policy appealed to the imperialists and the nation’s expanding interests

EFFECTS OF THE INTERACTION • Roosevelt’s policy was implemented in both domestic and international disputes (and earned him a Nobel Prize) : • Domestic: • The Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902: he threatened to use the military to run the mine if the operators were unwilling (Became known as the Square Deal) • Foreign: • Venezuela Debt repayment (Regulated Venezuelan economy until European debt was paid (created anger towards Americans and also added the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine SOUTH AMERICA • Aided Panama natives with supplies and Navy support in their revolt against Columbian government to build Panama Canal (Colombian anger towards U. S. /Panama happy) • Intervened in Cuba to protect American interests (Angered Cuban fundamentalists and created the Teller Amendment and Platt Amendment) • Roosevelt negotiated the Russo-Japanese war by “speaking softly” (angered Japanese but benefitted the Russians) East Asia

VALUE • The source helps us understand the large scale of Roosevelt’s policy and the military strength that backed it • The value of the cartoon is that it depicts Roosevelt’s power with that of the Latin American nations (Roosevelt was giant in comparison • The source shows that America was indeed a world power (Roosevelt’s size and the advanced Navy that followed him) • The source shows that the type of thinking at the time considered Big Stick Diplomacy to be a powerful force, one that, through military power further established America as a legitimate world power

LIMITATIONS • With only the source, one might think that Roosevelt’s policy was tyrannical or a threat • Also, the bias of the author influences his portrayal Roosevelt as a larger than life character and the countries as miniscule, thus cheapening the message • However, the message is not mistranslated because it communicates the idea that Roosevelt’s Big Stick Policy was indeed a lumbering force in the international community • Therefore, the message is not corrupted or damaged, but only dulled by the author’s bias

TO WHAT EXTENT • Big Stick Diplomacy in US territorial expansion was, to a large extent, a proper and legitimate policy for the United States to follow. Reasons: • It aided the US in establishing itself as a global power • Allowed the US to maintain control over Western Hemisphere and expand into Asia • Allowed US to settle conflicts and expand Limitation: • Because the US continually intervened or used its power to intimidate others it soured relations with some Southern American countries (Venezuela, Cuba, etc. ) as well as in Asia (Philippines)

FIN