1846-1848 Mexican American War: During the 19th Century, United States were set on their Manifest Destiny, to continue expanding westward until they could reach the Pacific Ocean. Mexico had previously allowed non-Spanish people to settle in Texas. This would lead to settlers wanted to make Texas independent from Mexico. Mexico would refuse and Texas would seek help from the United States. The U.S saw this as an opportunity and offered to buy Texas from Mexico, but was refused. The dispute would then lead to U.S going into war with Mexico with U.S winning the war and Texas.
April 1898 – December 1898 Spanish-American War: On April 21st, 1898, United States would declare war against Spain. The two biggest reasons for war was first, America’s support for Cubans and Filipinos against the Spanish, and second, the explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor. The United States would make quick work of Spanish with the war ending in less than a year with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.
1881-1904/1904-1914 Building of the Panama Canal: The building of Panama Canal started in 1881, but it wasn’t until 1904 that the United States took over the construction. After it was completed, Panama Canal was controlled soley by the US and it wasn’t until 1999 that Panama would have complete control over the canal.
July 1927 Augusto Sandino: Augusto Sandino was a Nicaraguan loyalist who stood against the United State’s attempt to consume Nicaragua. The US’s plan was to “help” build a canal in Nicaragua so that trading would be easier. However, Sandino saw this as a plot by the US to further their hold over the country. Sandino would in turn suggest a plan that benefited their own country over the United States, this was to make the side of Latin America pay for half the canal and the other half would be paid by foreign countries who wished to use the canal. Nicaragua would also be able to hold the right to receive tariffs.
1947-1991 Cold War: The Cold War was a time period where there was a clash of ideologies by two powerhouses, the United States and Russia. Their battles would generally be through proxy wars where both sides would try to help certain countries to lean towards their standing, democracy vs communism.
1940’s-1960’s Green Revolution: The Green Revolution was a time period in which Mexico would undergo modernization in their agriculture. With the help of the United State’s Rockefeller Foundation, farmers in Mexico would use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The heavy use of these chemicals would lead to health issues with worse case scenarios being death. This would lead to further research and the development of “plant breeding” which was using new generation of crop seeds to produce a higher yield under specific circumstances.