Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine is a foreign policy statement created by President James Monroe
and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. Monroe delivered it to Congress in his seventh
annual congressional speech on December 2, 1823.
The Monroe Doctrine consists of four main points.
1. The United States would remain neutral in European affairs and not get involved in European
conflicts.
2. The United States would not interfere with current European colonies in the Western
Hemisphere.
3. No European nation would be allowed to establish a new colony in the Western Hemisphere.
4. If a European nation would try to interfere with a nation in the Western Hemisphere, the
United States would view that as a hostile act and respond accordingly.
President Monroe made a statement on foreign policy that was known as the Monroe
Doctrine. Monroe said that the United States would not interfere in the affairs of European
nations or European colonies in the Americas. At the same time, he warned European nations not
to interfere with the newly independent nations that were formed in Latin America.
Basically, then, the Monroe Doctrine created two separate spheres of influence: Europe
and the Western Hemisphere. The United States declared that it would handle the affairs of the
Western Hemisphere. Essentially, Monroe was telling Europe, 'You keep your nose out of our
business, and we'll keep our nose out of yours