Monroe Doctrine

Definition

The Monroe Doctrine was a foreign policy statement made by President James Monroe in 1823, which declared that further efforts by European nations to colonize or interfere with states in the Americas would be viewed as acts of aggression requiring U.S. intervention. It was a key principle that shaped U.S. foreign policy for much of the 19th and 20th centuries.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Monroe Doctrine was a response to European attempts to regain control of former colonies in the Americas, particularly in Latin America.
2. It declared that any future efforts by European nations to colonize or interfere with states in the Americas would be viewed as acts of aggression requiring U.S. intervention.
3. The doctrine was a key component of U.S. foreign policy for over a century, used to justify American interventions in the Western Hemisphere.
4. President Theodore Roosevelt's 'Roosevelt Corollary' in 1904 expanded the Monroe Doctrine to give the U.S. the right to intervene in Latin American countries to prevent European interference.
5. The Monroe Doctrine was invoked by the U.S. to justify its involvement in the Spanish-American War of 1898, which led to the acquisition of overseas territories like the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Monroe Doctrine was connected to the Spanish-American War and the acquisition of overseas territories by the United States.
  • The Monroe Doctrine, which declared the Western Hemisphere off-limits to further European colonization, was used by the U.S. to justify its involvement in the Spanish-American War of 1898. The war resulted in the U.S. acquiring overseas territories like the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam, expanding the country's influence and power beyond its continental borders. This marked a shift from the traditional isolationist policies of the past and towards a more assertive, imperialist foreign policy stance justified by the principles of the Monroe Doctrine.
• Analyze how the Roosevelt Corollary expanded the scope and application of the original Monroe Doctrine.
  • The Roosevelt Corollary, added to the Monroe Doctrine by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904, significantly expanded the U.S.'s ability to intervene in the affairs of Latin American countries. Whereas the original Monroe Doctrine simply prohibited further European colonization, the Roosevelt Corollary gave the U.S. the right to act as an 'international police power' in the Western Hemisphere. This allowed the U.S. to justify military interventions in Latin American countries to prevent European interference, laying the groundwork for a more assertive, imperialist foreign policy in the region throughout the early 20th century.
• Evaluate the long-term impact of the Monroe Doctrine on U.S. foreign policy and its role in shaping America's position as a global power.
  • The Monroe Doctrine was a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy for over a century, helping to establish the United States as the dominant power in the Western Hemisphere. By declaring the Americas off-limits to European colonization, the doctrine laid the foundation for American expansionism and the acquisition of overseas territories in the late 19th century. The subsequent Roosevelt Corollary further empowered the U.S. to intervene in Latin American affairs, solidifying its regional hegemony. Over time, the Monroe Doctrine evolved to justify an increasingly assertive, imperialist foreign policy that contributed to the emergence of the United States as a global superpower in the 20th century. While the doctrine was originally intended to prevent European interference, it ultimately became a tool for the U.S. to project its own influence and protect its economic and strategic interests throughout the Americas and beyond.

Related terms

Manifest Destiny: The belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans.

Roosevelt Corollary: An addition to the Monroe Doctrine made by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904, which stated that the U.S. had the right to exercise 'international police power' in the Western Hemisphere.

Isolationism: A foreign policy stance that advocates avoiding involvement in the political affairs and wars of other countries.