Wielding the Big Stick, 1901‒1909
Keyword(s):
This chapter interprets Roosevelt’s foreign policies as president. It begins by examining the religious background of his support for imperialism—especially the Philippine-American War and the acquisition of the rights to build the Panama Canal. Roosevelt’s adoption of biological evolution and offensive racial theories (as justification for imperialism) are shown in the context of religion. The chapter concludes by examining at length the “Dear Maria” affair, in which conflicts between Catholic politics and church-state separation commitments ended in Roosevelt’s firing of an American ambassador. The “Dear Maria” affair is analyzed in light of ongoing Catholic-Protestant tensions in the United States.