Worksheet 4: US Foreign Policy I

This worksheet focuses on US foreign policy in Latin America between 1823 and 1930. It explores the major policy objectives of the US in the region during this period and discusses the implications of this early policy for today's relationship between Latin America and the United States. The worksheet includes required readings and key questions to answer.

PO5006 Worksheet 4: US Foreign Policy I Name:
DUE TW5 Lecture
Instructions:
1. If this is your first worksheet:
a. Make sure you understand the assessment brief for the Reading Portfolio, which can be found
on Canvas under Assessments & Feedback
b. Read the Active Reading, Critical Reading handout (under General Resources on Canvas).
2. Read through the key questions and keywords below. Then read and view the required sources below,
with those questions and keywords in mind. (Note: you don’t have to incorporate every keyword in
your response, but make sure you have an idea what each one refers to.)
3. Answer the questions below. Be brief and to the point, aiming for 300-400 words in total. You should
also keep track of your reactions to the reading (including things you were inspired by or like, disagreed
with or found highly irritating – all welcome!) and things you find unclear – bring those reactions and
questions to class next week!
4. Type up for your answers, print them and bring them to next week’s class. You’re welcome to keep the
worksheet to refer to during group activities in the second hour. But make sure to leave the worksheet
in the box at the end of the hour for grading.
Remember: Worksheets will not be graded if they are hand-written, submitted by email, or submitted
for a class you did not attend.
Required Readings
T. Meade “Latin America’s Place in the Commodity Chain” (pp.122-138 from ch.5) in
A History of Modern Latin America: 1800 to the Present
D. Healy “One War from Two Sides: the Cuban Assessment of US-Cuba
Relations.”Cercles 5 (2002): 31-38
JMartí “Our America.” (1891)
There is supplemental source material for this topic on pages 29-32 of the Module Guide, and in the
TW5unit folder on Canvas (under “Investigate”).
Keywords: imperialism, hegemony, Monroe Doctrine, the Roosevelt Corollary, Pan-Americanism
Questions
1. What were the major policy objectives of US in the region between 1823 and 1930?

During the phase of 1823 to 1930, US objectives in the Latin American countries have been changing. At
the end of the 19th century, US had number of growth objectives in Cuba and Mexico which led to the
initiated of establishing the bilateral ties. In case of the other nations of this regions, it was noted that the
during the period of 1823, US came up with the “Monroe Doctrine” in order to contain the growth of
their communist regimes and it is one of the threats that it perceived which led to the protection of the
domestic security against the communist nations to a large extent. However in the 1930’s regardless of
dictatorial regimes of these nations, US largely had cordial and friendly relations with them.
2. Why did the US intervene in Cuba’s war of independence with Spain? What is an act of hegemony (rule
by the consent of the Cubans) or an early act of US imperialism?
The US intervention in the Cuban revolution has been questioned on number of grounds form the
beginning. It has been observed that US intervention in this revolution was more of a cognitive
dissonance at the initial years; however it is not to deny that it also helped in number of developments of
the Cuban revolutions. Hence in order to call it “a complete act of imperialism” is unjustified on the
ground that the impact of negative relationship developed at the later period of the relationship between
Cuba and US.
3. What was the vision of independence expressed by Cuban nationalist José Martí and the Cuban
revolutionary patriots in this period?
The vision of the revolutionary patriots of the Cuban nationalism like Jose Marti has explained their
vision of making Cuba independent of the Spain and free Cuba form the slaved. It is also important to
note that the he dreamt of Cuba as one of the nations of future w that will be growing and prospering on
its own without being dependent on other nations and it is will be enough to sustain on its own that
being dependent on other nations of the world. Marti along with the other patriots had similar vision of
the nationalist movement for Cuba.
4. What are the implications of this early period of US policy for today? Do you think it’s all ‘ancient
history’ and inconsequential today, or does it help to explain today’s relationship between Latin
America and the United States?

The relationship between the US and the Latin America is shaped by their traditional ties with the
nations. It is not to deny that their relationship is not shaped by the consequences of the earlier
relationship, however what is crucial at this juncture to note is that there are number of development in
the way the relationship of these countries has shaped over the years. For example, in case of Cuba, the
development of ties has bettered form the earlier times and it has been possible due to the development
of number of aspects of their relationship.