History quiz

History Exercises on Big Stick Politics - With Answers

Question 01 - FGV-SP 2002 - “Speak softly and use a club”, said US President Theodore Roosevelt to justify US foreign policy. Regarding the policy known as the “Big Stick”, we can say:a) It meant a pragmatic measure taken by the North Americans shortly after independence, seeking to overcome diplomatic isolation while fighting the British army. b) It was the motto of the Northern States during the Civil War, during which slaves were freed, as a way of weakening southern forces. c) It concerns the US policy towards Latin America during the Cold War, when it gave political and military support to various military dictatorships, with the aim of preventing the establishment of communist regimes similar to that of Cuba. d) It was a continuation of internal expansionism, marked by the March to the West and the Civil War, which involved the subsequent US military interventions that transformed the Caribbean into its area of ​​influence. e) It was the orientation given by the North American secret service to its agents infiltrated in the USSR and in the countries of the so-called Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe.
Question 02 - MACKENZIE 2018 -
The cartoon above mocks American foreign policy during Theodore Roosevelt's government (1901) -1909), Big Stick diplomacy. Even after the end of his term, this policy continued to be practiced by the presidents who succeeded him, as evidenced by the historical period known as the Banana War (1898-1934). Among the statements below, which point out and analyze historical facts related to this diplomatic policy, tick the INCORRECT one. a) During Roosevelt's administration, the Platt Amendment came into force, a legal provision added to Cuba's constitution after its independence, allowing the United States to intervene in the country if its interests were threatened. b) The Big Stick ideology led to the expansion of the US navy, present in most of these conflicts, in order to guarantee, through military intervention and occupation of countries, the defense of US interests. c) The United States, dissatisfied with the independence of Panama from Colombia, invade and occupy the country, in order to ensure that the works for the construction of the Canal, connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific, were completed, remaining in the country until 1999. d) Several countries were affected by this policy, such as:Cuba, Panama, Haiti, Nicaragua, Mexico, Honduras, Dominican Republic - in addition to the territory of Puerto Rico - annexed during the Spanish American War of 1898. e) The Military interventions were connected to the preservation of US commercial interests in the region, mainly the United Fruit Company, which had significant investments in several countries in the region, in plantations of tropical products.
Question 03 - MACKENZIE 2014 - “If Latin America was not dismembered like Africa, it was due to the fact – it must be recognized – of having had, without having asked, a 'tutor'. A daring tutor, because he dared to say that America was for Americans, at a time when he only had the illusion of being a power. However, when this tutor became a great power, he changed his speech and shouted that he was the owner.” (Héctor Hernan Bruit. O Imperialismo. São Paulo:Atual, 1994, p.49) From the analysis of the text, it is correct to say that a) Latin America, since the first half of the 19th century, has been an instrument of US imperialism, which, historically, has imposed policies such as the Monroe Doctrine and the Big Stick Policy on those countries. b) the divisions suffered by Africa, resulting from the imperialism of the 19th century, could not happen in the American continent due to the imposition on respect, made in the Berlin Conference, between the USA and European powers, of the self-determination of Latin America. c) the 19th century saw the birth of the so-called US hegemony over Latin American countries, involving disputes – since that time – between capitalists and socialists, set in the Cold War.
Question 04 - UCPEL 2011 - The Big Stick was the imperialist method, proposed by President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909). Referring to Latin America, he stated the following:“We must speak softly, but carry a big club”. This policy resulted in several armed interventions, which assured the United States of its investments. Among the territorial occupations promoted by this policy are a) New Mexico and Alaska. b) Florida and Texas. c) Guantánamo Bay and the Panama Canal area. d) California and Alabama. e) Hawaii and Texas.
Question 05 - UNIFENAS 2015/2 - The country we now call Panama was part of Colombian territory. The US government, interested in building and controlling a canal in this region that would link the Atlantic to the Pacific, financed and supported separatist rebels in the region. As soon as Panama gained its independence from Colombia in 1903, a few days later, it signed a treaty ceding control of the canal zone to the United States for 10 million dollars. The American political actions described above took place during the government of President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) and became known as:a) New Deal. b) Monroe Doctrine. c) Manifest Destiny. d) Big Stick Policy. e) Great Depression.
FEEDBACK 01 - D02 - C03 - A04 - C05 - D