
The Platt Amendment, the Roosevelt Corollary, and Dollar Diplomacy are all examples of US foreign policy that sought to expand US interests in Latin America and East Asia. The Platt Amendment, proposed by Senator Orville H. Platt in 1901, was a treaty between the US and Cuba that established guidelines for their relations, including US intervention in Cuban affairs to maintain Cuba's independence and ensure stability. Dollar Diplomacy, drafted by President William Howard Taft, aimed to protect and expand US financial interests in Latin America and East Asia under the guise of financial stability and democracy. These policies highlight a historical pattern of US interventionism in the early 20th century, particularly in Latin America, where the US sought to maintain influence and control in the region.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 1901; came into effect in 1903 |
| Type | Treaty; amendment to the Army Appropriations Act of 1901 |
| Purpose | To protect Cuba's independence from foreign intervention while enabling extensive US participation in Cuban domestic and international affairs |
| Applicability | Cuba |
| Conditions | Seven or eight, including the establishment of a US naval base at Guantanamo Bay and limitations on Cuba's ability to make treaties with other nations |
| Withdrawal of US troops | Yes, in 1902 |
| Cuban acceptance | Reluctant; amended constitution to include it |
| US foreign policy | Interventionist, particularly in Latin America |
| US intentions | To maintain influence and control in Cuba and Latin America under the pretense of promoting stability and democracy |
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What You'll Learn
- The Platt Amendment was a treaty between the US and Cuba
- The US could intervene in Cuban affairs to protect Cuban independence
- Dollar Diplomacy was a foreign policy drafted by President William Howard Taft during his tenure of 1909-1913
- The Platt Amendment was an addition to the earlier Teller Amendment
- Dollar Diplomacy increased US investments in Latin America

The Platt Amendment was a treaty between the US and Cuba
The Platt Amendment was a treaty between the United States and Cuba, which came about as a result of the Spanish-American War of 1898. During the war, the United States had a large military presence in Cuba, occupying the country to maintain its newfound independence from Spain and to protect US economic interests. The Platt Amendment was proposed by Senator Orville H. Platt of Connecticut in 1901 and was initially rejected by the Cuban Assembly. However, under pressure to end the US occupation, Cuba eventually incorporated the amendment's articles into its 1901 constitution and entered into a treaty with the United States in 1903.
The Platt Amendment outlined the role of the United States in Cuba and the Caribbean, and it had a significant impact on Cuban-US relations until 1934. It limited Cuba's independence and granted the US the right to intervene in Cuban affairs, effectively controlling its foreign policy. The amendment included eight conditions, seven of which pertained to the withdrawal of US troops from Cuba, and the eighth required Cuba to sign a treaty accepting these seven conditions. These conditions included restrictions on Cuba's ability to make treaties with other nations, conduct foreign policy, and manage commercial relations. The amendment also established that Cuba must sell or lease lands to the United States for the development of naval stations, leading to the establishment of the Guantanamo Bay naval base.
The Platt Amendment was an addition to the earlier Teller Amendment, which had limited US involvement in Cuba and prevented its annexation. However, the Platt Amendment gave the United States the right to intervene in Cuban affairs to protect Cuban independence and maintain a strong government. This intervention could include military action, as seen in the Roosevelt Corollary, where President Theodore Roosevelt asserted the right of the United States to intervene in Latin American countries to stabilize them if they were deemed unstable or unable to pay their debts.
The Platt Amendment, the Roosevelt Corollary, and Dollar Diplomacy are all manifestations of the United States' interventionist policy in Latin America during the early 20th century. Dollar Diplomacy, implemented by President William Howard Taft from 1909 to 1913, aimed to use economic power to achieve US interests in Latin America and East Asia while maintaining financial stability in these regions.
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The US could intervene in Cuban affairs to protect Cuban independence
The Platt Amendment, the Roosevelt Corollary, and Dollar Diplomacy are all examples of US foreign policy that aimed to expand US interests in Latin America. The Platt Amendment, in particular, was a treaty between the US and Cuba that defined the relationship between the two nations following the Spanish-American War.
The Platt Amendment was a provision added to the Cuban Constitution in 1901 that limited Cuba's autonomy and gave the US the right to intervene in Cuban affairs to maintain independence and ensure stability. One of the main justifications for the Platt Amendment was to protect Cuban independence. The US had a large military presence in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, and it wanted to ensure that Cuba would not fall under the influence of another foreign power, such as Spain. The Platt Amendment allowed the US to exert control over Cuba's foreign policy and established guidelines for US-Cuban relations. For example, it prevented Cuba from transferring any land to any country other than the US and limited Cuba's ability to negotiate treaties with other nations.
The Platt Amendment also gave the US the right to establish a naval base at Guantanamo Bay. This presence of US military forces was intended to help maintain Cuban independence and protect US economic interests in the region. The establishment of the naval base was a way for the US to exert its influence in the region and ensure that Cuba remained independent and stable.
Additionally, the Platt Amendment was designed to maintain public order and turn Cuba into a "self-governing colony". The US believed that some Cuban politicians were unfit to govern, and the amendment was an attempt to balance Cuban independence with American desires to control those politicians. The amendment also included provisions that extended civil rights, such as the right to vote, to literate, adult, male Cubans with property. However, these provisions largely excluded the Afro-Cuban population and women.
The Platt Amendment was controversial and reluctantly accepted by Cuba, which amended its constitution to include it. It was seen as a way for the US to maintain its influence and control in Cuba under the pretense of protecting Cuban independence. The amendment shaped fundamental Cuban-US relations until 1934, when the US finally withdrew its troops from Cuba and recognized Cuban sovereignty.
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Dollar Diplomacy was a foreign policy drafted by President William Howard Taft during his tenure of 1909-1913
Dollar Diplomacy was a foreign policy drafted by President William Howard Taft during his tenure from 1909 to 1913. It was created to ensure the financial stability of Latin American and East Asian countries while protecting and expanding US financial and commercial interests in these nations.
The policy was evident in extensive US interventions in the Caribbean and Central America, especially in measures undertaken to safeguard American financial interests in the region. Taft shared the view of his Secretary of State, Philander C. Knox, that diplomacy should aim to create stability and order abroad to promote American commercial interests. Knox, a corporate lawyer and founder of U.S. Steel, believed that diplomacy should improve financial opportunities and use private capital to further US interests overseas.
In his message to Congress on December 3, 1912, Taft described his program as "substituting dollars for bullets." He argued that it appealed to humanitarian sentiments, sound policy and strategy, and legitimate commercial aims. He also stated that it was an effort to increase American trade and extend support to beneficial American enterprises abroad.
The phrase was picked up by his critics, who used it to describe his dealings with other countries. Taft's encouragement of US business in the Caribbean, for example, was criticized as he believed that investors would stabilize the region's shaky governments. Dollar Diplomacy was also met with resentment in Nicaragua, which eventually resulted in US military intervention. The policy was similarly unsuccessful in China, where the US faced difficulty in supplying loans and negative reactions from the world.
Dollar Diplomacy, along with the Platt Amendment and the Roosevelt Corollary, are manifestations of the United States' interventionist policy in Latin America during the early 20th century.
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The Platt Amendment was an addition to the earlier Teller Amendment
The Platt Amendment was a piece of United States legislation enacted as part of the Army Appropriations Act of 1901. It was introduced by Senator Orville Platt (R-Connecticut) in February 1901 and stipulated the conditions for the withdrawal of US troops from Cuba at the end of the Spanish-American War. The Amendment was a provision added to the Cuban Constitution that limited Cuba's autonomy and gave the US the right to intervene in Cuban affairs to maintain independence and ensure stability.
The Platt Amendment allowed the US to exert control over Cuba's foreign policy and provided for the establishment of a naval base at Guantanamo Bay. It also stipulated that Cuba could not transfer land to any power other than the US and that its right to negotiate treaties was limited. The Amendment was incorporated into a permanent treaty between the US and Cuba, with Cuba signing a treaty accepting its conditions in 1903.
The Platt Amendment, along with the Roosevelt Corollary and Dollar Diplomacy, are manifestations of the United States' interventionist policy in Latin America during the early 20th century. These policies aimed to maintain American influence and control in the region under the pretense of promoting stability and democracy.
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Dollar Diplomacy increased US investments in Latin America
Dollar Diplomacy, a foreign policy created by US President William Howard Taft during his tenure from 1909 to 1913, was designed to ensure the financial stability of Latin American and East Asian countries while advancing US financial and commercial interests in these regions.
Dollar Diplomacy was a partnership between private US investment banks and the US government, with the shared goal of increasing US influence in Latin America and making US investors prosperous. This policy was a shift from territorial to economic imperialism, with the US government and corporations using economic, diplomatic, and military power to open up foreign markets in Latin America.
In Latin America, Dollar Diplomacy was aimed at encouraging and protecting trade. It was implemented in the Caribbean and Central America, with the US taking measures to safeguard its financial interests in the region. For example, in the Dominican Republic, the Roosevelt administration saw Dollar Diplomacy as a way to bring "stability and order and all the benefits of peace" to the country, justifying US intervention as a way to prevent foreign intervention.
The policy was also used to increase American trade and investment in East Asia, particularly in China. The US sought to limit the influence of other powers in China by using its banking power to create tangible American interests in the country. However, these efforts were largely unsuccessful, and the policy was ultimately cancelled by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913.
Overall, Dollar Diplomacy increased US investments in Latin America by incentivizing partnerships between investment bankers and the US government, with the shared goal of increasing US influence and economic power in the region.
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Frequently asked questions
The Platt Amendment is a provision added to the Cuban Constitution in 1901 or 1903 that limited Cuba's autonomy and gave the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs to maintain independence and ensure stability.
Dollar Diplomacy was a foreign policy drafted by President William Howard Taft during his tenure of 1909-1913. It was created to ensure the financial stability of a region while protecting and extending U.S. commercial and financial interests there.
The Platt Amendment and Dollar Diplomacy are both evidence of a United States policy of interventionism in Latin America. They highlight a historical pattern of U.S. intervention in neighboring countries during the early 20th century.
An example of Dollar Diplomacy is the Taft administration's policy in Nicaragua. They supported the overthrow of José Santos Zelaya, set up Adolfo Díaz in his place, established a collector of customs, and guaranteed loans to the Nicaraguan government.
Dollar Diplomacy is considered a failure and was abandoned by the Taft administration in 1912. In March 1913, President Woodrow Wilson publicly repudiated Dollar Diplomacy.
























