Monroe Doctrine
President Monroe:
– President from
1817 to 1825
– Issued the “Monroe
Doctrine” in 1823
Monroe Doctrine
It proclaimed a lot of bold
statements about American
foreign affairs and American
expansion
1. The American continents should be
considered “closed” to all European
countries: No more colonization in Western
hemisphere!
2. Nations in the Western hemisphere are
different from those in the Eastern: republics
vs. monarchies
Monroe Doctrine
3. If Europe tries in any way to interfere with
the affairs of the Western hemisphere, the
U.S. will consider this a serious and
personal threat
4. In return, the U.S. won’t mess with
Europe!
What caused Monroe to issue it?
Latin American in 1700–
colonial powers
1809 - Napoleon invades Spain
1810 – Colombia declares
independence
1811 – Venezuela & Paraguay
declare independence
1816 – Argentina declares
independence
1821 – Panama, Peru, Dominican
Republic, Honduras, El
Salvador, Nicaragua & Mexico
declare independence
1822 – Brazil declares
independence
1822 - The U.S. recognize the
independence of the former
Spanish colonies