Presidential Actions – Foreign Policy
Theodore Roosevelt backs Panamanian independence from Colombia 
WHY? We want a faster trade and transportation route from Atlantic to Pacific  
o	Panama 
•	perfect location for canal linking Atlantic to Pacific 
•	Part of Colombia 
o	TR encourages Panamanians to rebel and declare their independence 
o	Panama succeeds 
o	US signs treaty with Panama 
•	gives us a 99 year renewable lease control a strip of land in Panama – we build canal here
•	Panama is protectorate of US for over 30 years 
o	Canal
•	Completed in 1914 
•	We return canal to Panama in 1999

James Monroe announces Monroe Doctrine (1823)
WHY? US wants to protect itself; US wants to promote democracy throughout the world 
o	Tells Europe to stay out of affairs in Western Hemisphere
o	No more Western Hemisphere colonies for Europe 
o	If Europe got involved in Western Hemisphere affairs – would be perceived as threat to the US 
o	US would stay out of European affairs 
o	At first we need Great Britain to support us in doctrine because we are not powerful enough-as we grow in power we can protect the Western Hemisphere ourselves 

	Presidential Actions – Foreign Policy
John F. Kennedy orders a blockade of Cuba (1962) 
WHY? Soviet Union establishes missile bases in Cuba – points missiles at US (they have capability of reaching up to Canada) 
GOAL: Get USSR to remove missiles from Cuba
o	JFK orders a naval blockade around Cuba to stop Soviets from delivering more missiles to Cuba 
o	JFK orders Soviets to stop construction of missile sites 
o	USSR does not stop producing missiles at first 
o	Negotiations begin – USSR aggress to remove their missiles, US removes missiles from Turkey and aggress to not invade Cuba 
o	Kennedy’s actions helped to bring about end of Cuban Missile Crisis and prevent nuclear war 
o	Kennedy and Khrushchev agrees to have a hotline to discuss problems between US and USSR