Final answer:
Teddy Roosevelt desired to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to strengthen American military strategy and trade by constructing the Panama Canal. The canal was crucial to Roosevelt's vision of America as a dominant world power, and his actions in Central America reflected the strategic military and economic motivations behind this effort.
Step-by-step explanation:
Theodore Roosevelt became President in 1901 and viewed the construction of a canal through Central America as imperative, not just for the purpose of international trade but also to enhance American military capabilities and promptly project American power. The time it took for the U.S.S. Oregon to reach Cuba during the Spanish-American War demonstrated the strategic necessity of having a shorter route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The answer to the student’s question, therefore, is B) Connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The Panama Canal was integral to Roosevelt's vision of America as a global power, with its ability to rapidly deploy naval forces and protect American commerce. The acquisition of the Panama route for the canal was mired in diplomacy and, later, military support for Panama's independence from Colombia - all aimed at ensuring the completion of the canal that was considered essential for American interests.
Subsequent to the construction of the Panama Canal, Roosevelt also established the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, asserting U.S. intervention rights in Latin America to keep out European influence and maintain regional stability, further guaranteeing the protection of the canal and U.S. interests in the hemisphere.