Central America

Question 1

Central American is economically & politically to US – why?

Answer 1

resources, immigration, etc

Question 2

Every 20th century intervention US troops in hemisphere has occurred in

Answer 2

Cent.Am-Caribbean

Question 3

Monroe Doctrine of 1823 in context of Central America

Answer 3

Warned European colonials powers to keep hands off Western Hemisphere

American continents not considered for future colonization by Europe (likewise US stays out of Europe)

Modified in 1825 (no transfer principle – not allow transfer of colonial ownership)

Second part- declaed anya ttempt by reactionary powers (Prussia, Russia, Austria, and Frnace) to extend their system to hemisphere would be seen as dangerous to oru peace and security (act of way
–This part also modified : resident Polk in the 1840s: no independent LA State could voluntarily accept suzerainty or protection from a European nation.

Question 4

Monroe Doctrine Latter part of the 19th century:

Answer 4

with British support, not many foreign incursions (France’s invasion of Mexico, among others, exceptions)

From first years of independence, Central Americans looked to US for protection against large nations to south & Mexico to north

Question 5

Enforcement of Monroe Doctrine (1822)

Answer 5

Threat of Mexican invasion led El Salvador’s Legislative Congress to request US annex new nation (Mexican army solved issue by conquering capital (Sal Salvador))

Question 6

Enforcement of Monroe Doctrine (1822)

Given threats, what do you do to protect yourself?

Answer 6

Protect their region, from early 1820s until 1838, Central America was combined into a federation (United Provinces of Central America)

Question 7

At first Central Americans supported union but several factors led to its demise in 1838

Answer 7

Resentment of other countries to Guatemala

Lack of freedom for each individual state

Increasing rivalry bw 2 emerging factions of the ruling elite brought tension and civil war

Question 8

Following the breakdown, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras again faced an invasion in 1849

Answer 8

Nicaraguan minister in London asked US minister whether three nations could be admitted into US Union.

Bad timing because–slave controversy was heating up in the US

Question 9

Northerners held deep and justified suspicions Southerners wanted to annex parts of Central America for new slave territory

Answer 9

Realizing this, Nicaraguan Minister retreated to fallback position: would US help three countries defend their territorial integrity? (use US as a protector but US did not come to aid)

Question 10

1898-1932

Answer 10

US has the right to intervene

Dollar Diplomacy, Gunboat Diplomacy

Question 11

Criticism of Alliance for Progress

Answer 11

Inherent conflict between opposing Communism and promoting democracy (want certain type of democracy: not anti-US/Chile)
Not clear how socio-economic reform would produce democracy
We couldn’t dictate the political rules that these countries should follow (cultural imperialism - fodder for communists ) but political goals muddled and not clearly articulated
Failed to consider interest of domestic elites groups and their options
US might have feared extensive land reform: improvide benefits to countryside where many communists resided
Modest amounts of aid ($20 billion in ten years) not enough for revolutionary reform for entire hemisphere
Alliance for Progress led to intense pressures giving way to military rule

Question 12

Costa Rica Land Issues

Answer 12

Shortage of agricultural labor until 1880s kept wages high (landless CR peasants and import-exporters)

Mid 20th century, severe concentration of land ownership

Land used for growing coffee beans and bananas are owned by a small segment of population

1974 census showed Costa Rica to have the sixth most unequal land distribution system of 54 nations studied

Question 13

Costa Rican Politics & Economics

Answer 13

Democracy in 1800s; literacy and property ownership requirements and exclusion of women barred all but 10% of citizenry from voting in indirect election

In 1948, a brief civil war erupted following allegations of electoral tampering

Since constitution (1949), and army abolition, democratic stability bassed on political accommodation has been the rule

On the list og the world’s 22 “older democracies”

vanguard

Question 14

Intel in Costa Rica

Answer 14

Intel opened a factory in Costa Rica in the mid-1990s closed it in 2014

Resulted in 1500 lost jobs and loss of operations worth around $2 billion a year, making up about 20% of th e country’s exports

Despite Intel’s leaving, Costa Rica still attracted FDI and had promising growth prospects

Intel returned in 2020 (moving away from China) - $1.2B

Question 15

Address migration with US (processing centers)

Answer 15

2023-2024

Question 16

History of Honduras

Answer 16

Little history of democracy

Caudillos, regional warlords, dominated the 19th century

During 19th century, did not develop export economy (change: early 20th century; export economy

Mainly a subsistence economy

Despite growing tensions, guerilla revolt did not occur

Honduras armed forces repressed labor and peasant activism in 1960s

Question 17

Nicaragua

Answer 17

Only case of a successful revolution

Early to middle part of 19th century, peasants had access to land

Land was abundant and peasants tilled land for their own sustenance

Early 1900s, coffee production continued, but pressures grew between US and Nicaragua over canal issues

US decided to build a canal in Panama and did not want Nicaraguans to build one

Dictator Jose Santos Zelaya tried to work a deal with Germany and Japan to develop a canal

Led to US supporting opposition forces to bring down Zelaya in 1909