American History: Roosevelt Exercises US Power Around the World
25 August 2010
President Theodore Roosevelt stands by a globe in this 1905 photograph .
BOB DOUGHTY: Welcome to the MAKING OF A NATION – American history in VOA Special English.
Theodore Roosevelt was president of the United States during the early years of the twentieth century. He was a forceful leader. His national policies led to social reforms and federal protection of nature.
His foreign policy led to greater American involvement in world events.
This week in our series, Kay Gallant and Harry Monroe continue the story of the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt.
KAY GALLANT: In nineteen-oh-three, Panama declared its independence from Colombia. Fifteen days later, Panama and the United States signed a treaty. The treaty gave the United States the right to build a canal across Panama.
To protect the canal, President Roosevelt declared greater responsibility for a wide area around the canal. The greatest responsibility was financial. Roosevelt said the United States would guarantee repayment of loans made to Latin American countries.
He did this to prevent European countries from using the issue of non-payment as an excuse to seize new territory in the Western Hemisphere.
HARRY MONROE: Some Latin American nations were in serious economic trouble. Venezuela was one.
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