The United States Discovers Panama The Writings of Soldiers, Scholars, Scientists, and Scoundrels, 1850D1905

by LaRosa, Michael J.; Mejía, Germán R.

• ISBN13: 9780742527225
• ISBN10: 0742527220
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-10-14
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Summary

Marking the centennial of Panama's separation from Colombia in 1903, this volume reprises U.S. images of the isthmus a century ago. The editors have collected a fascinating selection of articles from two of the most influential publications of the era, Harper's Monthly Magazine and the Atlantic Monthly, to illustrate the prejudices and expansionistic rhetoric of the time. An eclectic mix of adventure-seekers, naturalists, and scholars all helped a reading public in the United States discover Panama. Their writings show how Americans came to believe control of the isthmus was vital to their economic and political wellbeing. Constituting critically important primary sources, these articles will help readers think more critically and carefully about U.S. foreign policy and the ongoing legacy in U.S.-Latin American relations.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
A Note on Language and Spelling	xi
Introduction	xiii
PART I The Panama Railroad	1	(40)
1. A Trip on the Panama Railroad	5	(10)
2. Panama Railroad	15	(26)
PART II The Search for a Route	41	(118)
3. Darien Exploring Expedition, under Command of Lieut. Isaac C. Strain	45	(38)
4. Nicaragua: An Exploration from Ocean to Ocean	83	(20)
5. The New Route through Chiriqui	103	(22)
6. The Secret of the Strait	125	(24)
7. Tehuantepec and the Eads Ship Railway	149	(10)
PART III Choosing the Route	159	(46)
8. Short Cuts across the Globe	163	(6)
9. Projects for an Isthmian Canal	169	(12)
10. The Trans-Isthmian Canal Problem	181	(14)
11. The Best Isthmian Canal	195	(6)
12. The Tropical Renaissance	201	(4)
PART IV Diplomacy and Strategy of the Isthmian Region	205	(56)
13. The Isthmus Canal and American Control	209	(12)
14. Latin and Saxon America	221	(10)
15. The Diplomacy and Law of the Isthmian Canals	231	(18)
16. The Strategic Features of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea	249	(12)
PART V After Separation	261	(36)
17. Non-Intervention and the Monroe Doctrine	271	(16)
18. The Right and Wrong of the Monroe Doctrine	287	(10)
Selected Bibliography of Titles in English and Spanish	297	(4)
Credits	301	(2)
Index	303	(8)
About the Editors	311