in 1901, republican theodore roosevelt became president. he had been a soldier in the spanish–american war. he called for a foreign policy known as the "big stick". this meant having a large navy and exercising control over latin america. between 1901 and 1930, the united states sent soldiers into latin america several times. when roosevelt was president, work was begun on the panama canal, a link between the pacific and atlantic oceans that made travel around the world much faster.