US-Latin America Relations Through 1822
© 2002 Donald J. Mabry
The US interest in Latin America was (1) trade (2) territory (3)
republicanism but the first two were the important interests.
Latin American interest in the US was primarily assistance for
independence such as diplomatic recognition, arms, and volunteers. There was also some
economic interest but it didn't amount to much because there was little the weak US could
do. Latin America saw the US as the fountain of republicanism.
Latin American-US trade relations
Had had illicit relations with colonial Latin America. In 1797, the
Spanish were forced to throw open their ports because of wartime disruption, which did
open some doors to Spanish America. The US chiefly sold lumber and agricultural products
to Latin America. In 1800-1806, a twelve-month period, there was a quintupling of US goods
exported to Spanish America since 1795. In the 1796-1806 period, US exports to Latin
America rose from 3% to 12% of total exports. Very small group was involved but such
groups tend to be well-organized. Exert pressure on governments. US troubles with Britain
until 1815 hindered trade. Picked up after 1815. The US traded primarily with places in
the Circum-Caribbean area plus Brazil. Out of the $6.7 million of trade over $4 million
went to Cuba.
US attitudes towards the borderlands
The Pinckney Treaty (1795) set the Florida boundaries and guaranteed
the right of deposit at New Orleans. US society was extremely dynamic whereas Latin
America was exceedingly static.
The US stole West Florida from the Spanish in two stages. The area around Baton Rouge was taken in 1810; General James Wilkinson took tne area around Mobile in 1813. Interest in the
Floridas came to dominate US foreign policy vis-a-vis Latin America. In 1811, Congress
passed a "no transfer" doctrine, specifically restricted Florida to not being
transferred except to the US. Sheer arrogance on the part of the US. The doctrine was
extended later to other places. The US justified its actions because it would be a good
thing for the US. Interest in the Floridas became an interest in acquiring them. Secretary
of State John Quincy Adams pushed to get a treaty negotiated with Spain. Spain slow to
ratify. Adams wanted to get Florida, stay out of wars because we could not afford them,
never say we would not acquire territory , and also get Spanish recognition of the
Louisiana Purchase. Henry Clay and a few others were interested in helping Latin America
but only a few. John Quincy Adams wanted us to stay out of aid to Latin America. Adams got
Clay to hold off until the Adams-Onis Treaty was signed in 1819 and ratified by the Senate
in 1821. Then the US began recognizing Latin American countries in 1822, the first to do
US assistance to Latin America
We sent propaganda. We sent aid to Francisco Miranda in 1806.
US agents to Latin America (1) to 1815 (2) after 1815
There were a few during the US revolution. Then in 1797, they were
put in again for the protection and promotion of trade and US citizens. One sent in 1798
to Santiago de Chile; one in 1800 to the port of Caracas. Spain tolerated these agents. In
1810 and thereafter we received agents from rebels in Latin America. We also made the
attempt to make our agent system more systematic. We sent special agents for special
things. We sent agents for seamen and commerce. They were really thinly disguised consuls.
They also sometimes dealt with diplomatic things. Three appointed to Havana and Veracruz;
Caracas port; and Buenos Aires, Santiago, and Lima. The last, Joel Poinsett, had his hands
full because the capitals were so distant from one another. In 1811, Poinsett became a
Neither Britain nor the United States was critical to Latin American