Final answer:
Theodore Roosevelt's 'big stick' foreign policy strategy enabled the United States to exercise influence without direct military involvement, expanded its global reach, and set a precedent for future American interventionism in international affairs, particularly in the Western Hemisphere.
Step-by-step explanation:
How Theodore Roosevelt's Foreign Policy Benefited the United States
Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy, often summarized by the phrase “speak softly and carry a big stick,” led to significant benefits for the United States. Roosevelt’s policy focused on using the country's military might as a deterrent rather than engaging in outright conflict. This approach allowed the U.S. to avoid military skirmishes while still expanding its influence and maintaining its status as a rising world power. His implementation of the Monroe Doctrine prevented European intervention in Latin American affairs, which could have threatened the U.S.’s position in the western hemisphere.
In practice, Roosevelt extended this doctrine to act as an “international police power” in the hemisphere, justifying interventions to collect debts and prevent European meddling. This extension of the Monroe Doctrine not only solidified America’s dominance in its own hemisphere but also set a precedent for U.S. engagement in international affairs. The successful negotiation of the Panama Canal is another example of how Roosevelt used his foreign policy strategy to advance U.S. interests by establishing a critical trade route that benefited American commerce and military strategy.
Subsequent presidents like William Howard Taft continued to build on Roosevelt's policies, deploying “Dollar Diplomacy” as a method of economic coercion to secure markets and opportunities for American businesses. Taft’s approach underscored the nation's economic power and reflected Roosevelt's belief in the country's right to exercise significant influence over hemispheric affairs.