In the case of Panama, the United States supported a revolution that broke Panama from Columbia. With this, Panama in exchange gave miles on each bank of the Panama Canal (Mintz & McNeil). There was a debate on whether the United States should act like other world powers and colonize, or if it went against what America was meant to be. Alaska was purchased from Russia. Going forward, the idea that it was the responsibility of the United States to uplift, “backward,” people led to the overthrowing of the monarchy and stealing of Hawaii as well as a movement of missionaries pushing into Africa and Asia. Manipulation of businessmen and these ideals of pushing western culture and religion had the United States involving themselves in takeovers. In cases like the Philippines, the use of violence and war.
In Throughline’s Podcast, “There Will be Bananas,” Koeppel mentions that American Entrepreneurship pushed this idea that the world belonged to them. This, “gold rush,” mentality of business. Everyone was looking for something that would get them a lot of money. There was a ruthlessness in Minor Keith, willing to sacrifice anyone and everything for the idea of obtaining wealth.
The deal that Minor Keith struck with Costa Rica stated that he would be willing to build the railroad for them for free if they gave him ninety-nine years concession along the route, hundreds of thousands of acres of tax free land, and control of the port of Limon. He then began to make similar deals in Guatemala, Honduras, and Columbia (Throughlines). This all being very reminiscent of what the United States did with the Panama Canal. Taking advantage in the agreement to help in exchange for control. Businesses manipulating governments with the convincing the United States that there was dangerous communism, brought the help of military. Similarly to the pushing of religious ideas and the idea of the responsibility to uplift brings to mind the Philippines and Hawai’i (Mintz & McNeil). Following the death of Minor Cooper Keith, United Fruit and the United States together worked to control Central America.
Mintz, S., & McNeil, S. (2018). Digital History. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu
Abdelfatah, Rund and Arablouei, Ramtin, hosts. “There Will be Bananas.” Throughlines, NPR, 9 January 2020, https://www.npr.org/2020/01/07/794302086/there-will-be-bananas.
In Throughline’s Podcast, “There Will be Bananas,” Koeppel mentions that American Entrepreneurship pushed this idea that the world belonged to them. This, “gold rush,” mentality of business. Everyone was looking for something that would get them a lot of money. There was a ruthlessness in Minor Keith, willing to sacrifice anyone and everything for the idea of obtaining wealth.
The deal that Minor Keith struck with Costa Rica stated that he would be willing to build the railroad for them for free if they gave him ninety-nine years concession along the route, hundreds of thousands of acres of tax free land, and control of the port of Limon. He then began to make similar deals in Guatemala, Honduras, and Columbia (Throughlines). This all being very reminiscent of what the United States did with the Panama Canal. Taking advantage in the agreement to help in exchange for control. Businesses manipulating governments with the convincing the United States that there was dangerous communism, brought the help of military. Similarly to the pushing of religious ideas and the idea of the responsibility to uplift brings to mind the Philippines and Hawai’i (Mintz & McNeil). Following the death of Minor Cooper Keith, United Fruit and the United States together worked to control Central America.
Mintz, S., & McNeil, S. (2018). Digital History. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu
Abdelfatah, Rund and Arablouei, Ramtin, hosts. “There Will be Bananas.” Throughlines, NPR, 9 January 2020, https://www.npr.org/2020/01/07/794302086/there-will-be-bananas.