The U.S influences Latin America, International Police powers, and the cuban affairs. In 1848 the United States acquired the thinly populated region of Northern Mexico including the Colorado River Valley and California. Victory fed dreams of future expansion. Before the century, U.S controlled much of North America. It was involved in overseas conflicts.The U.S acquired Puerto Rico in the Caribbean and the Philippines and Guam in the Pacific. The U.S helped Cuban patriots battle to free their land from Colombia. The U.S forced Cubans to add the Platt Amendment to their constitution. It gave the U.S a naval based in Cuba and the right to intervene in Cuban affairs. The U.S claimed ‘’International Police Power’’ as it cited it’s need to protect investments in the region. When the Dominican Republic failed to pay its foreign debts, the U.S sent in troops. The debts that were already repaid remained as debts for a couple more years. The U.S intervened in the Caribbean to protect American lives and investments.The British and the United States constructed a railroad to exploit Latin America minerals and agriculture. A canal would allow the American fleet to move swiftly( between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans ) to protect its coastline on either side of the continent. It would reduce the cost of trade between the two oceans as well. Panamanians quickly won independence from Colombia gave the U.S land to build the canal.