Consolidating empire : the United States in Latin America, 1865-1920

UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Matthew Hassett (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
Advisor
W. Taylor Fain

Abstract: This thesis is a study of the foreign policy of the United States in Latin America from the end of the American Civil War in 1865, until the close of the peace negations to end the First World War. It contends that Woodrow Wilson refined the policies and strategies of his predecessors to maintain and extend American influence in Latin America. Wilson employed both formal methods, such as military interventions, and informal methods, such as treaties and trade agreements, to insure American dominance in the hemisphere. The thesis contends that Wilson’s prime motivation was the spread of constitutional democracy. Wilson’s vision of ideal democratic institutions was informed by his racism. His belief in the inferiority of non-whites allowed him to reconcile his policies of defending and exporting “democracy” when millions of African-Americans and women were denied the franchise and other basic rights in the United States. Wilson’s most important contribution to the foreign policy of the United States was the introduction of the insistence on democratic institutions.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters of Arts
Language: English
Date: 2009
Keywords
Latin America--Foreign relations--United States, United States--Foreign relations--Latin America, Wilson Woodrow 1856-1924--Political and social views
Subjects
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924 -- Political and social views
Latin America -- Foreign relations -- United States
United States -- Foreign relations -- Latin America

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