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American revolution britain and american colonies relationship
The monroe doctrine: origin and early american foreign policy
American revolution britain and american colonies relationship
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The Monroe Doctrine reflected the concerns and ambitions of a fledgling nation that was brave enough to declare its sovereignty on the world stage. The Doctrine, in stating that European powers ought not to intervene in America’s affairs, established the US as a world power, although one that had inadequate, hemispheric aspirations. However, these aspirations would extend, and in future years the Doctrine would substantiate its usefulness for interventionists, as well as protectionists. Being conceivably the most distinguishable and the most revered as regards principles of diplomacy, the doctrine’s influence on the popular imagination was so great that it described the limits of standard decisions on policy, in turn influencing the choice of preferences that US Presidents had for most of the last two centuries. The US had then recently endured the military and pecuniary challenges that Britain and France had inflicted in the course of the Napoleonic …show more content…
conflicts. The end of aggressions in 1815 appeared to free up energies that Americans utilized and then absorbed inwardly. Several endeavors devoted to cultivating a stronger national system – like canal construction – articulated the aspiration of many to conquer territories. It was an endeavor that the Americans implemented with missionary enthusiasm, deeming it their purpose to occupy and control extensive territories. Expansion of the empire of freedom throughout the mainland required that the US back its diplomatic stance – the territorial extension project sought to take up lands that were still wanted by a number of European powers. One among the powers was the Spanish empire, a superpower from an earlier era that was experiencing the throes of death owing to too many colonies. From its Latin American to North American interests, the colonies of Spain were proclaiming their sovereignty, a process that picked up speed in the early 19th century. In terms of significance, the Monroe Doctrine helped in improving relations between the US and Great Britain.
The relationship between these two nations was highly strained following the Revolutionary War. The War of 1812 also added to the strain. Both nations, however, collaborated in the doctrine’s formulation, hence bettering their relations. For the US, the formulation was crucial, considering that in comparison to Great Britain (which was already a superpower then), the US was vulnerable. As the US grew in strength, the Doctrine confirmed its “entitlement” to exert its influence over North and Latin America, hence allowing it to threaten an intervention in Mexico when the French refused to remove Maximilian from power. The Doctrine is what allowed the US at the beginning of the 20th century to justify its occupation of countries like the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Essentially, the doctrine gave the United States a basis that allowed it to exercise extensive control over several Latin-American
nations. The Doctrine, as an element of foreign policy, had a significant impact and strong backing in the US, partly because it furthered its interests. It also served other American countries, mostly because it asserted their entitlement to self-government. However, because the Doctrine as per its original formulation made no well-defined distinctions between the US’ interests and those of its neighboring countries, the US utilized it to rationalize involvement in other American countries’ internal affairs.
In the book, America’s Great War: World War I and the American Experience, Robert H. Zieger discusses the events between 1914 through 1920 forever defined the United States in the Twentieth Century. When conflict broke out in Europe in 1914, the President, Woodrow Wilson, along with the American people wished to remain neutral. In the beginning of the Twentieth Century United States politics was still based on the “isolationism” ideals of the previous century. The United States did not wish to be involved in European politics or world matters. The U.S. goal was to expand trade and commerce throughout the world and protect the borders of North America.
. .].” He then specifically refers to the Monroe Doctrine and asserts the need to for an army capable of resisting “all probable invasion from abroad and to furnish a respectable expeditionary force if necessary in the maintenance of our traditional American policy which bears the name of President Monroe.” Further, he raises the importance of the navy in promoting American interests abroad by alluding to Theodore Roosevelt’s use of naval ships to project American military dominance worldwide. This reflects a concern with the preservation of the Open Door policy through military threat and the importance given to the views of naval theorist Alfred Thayer Mahan. The following excerpt highlights this
The War of 1812 and the Monroe Doctrine both played prominent roles in solidifying the United States as an independent and free nation. The War of 1812 showed to the world that America was capable of defending itself, as well as demonstrating that the country could function without Great Britain’s presence. The War of 1812 is commonly referred to as the “Second War of American Independence,” because of the obstacles the Americans had to endure to chase their former mother country away. America did not appreciate England blocking seaports, disrupting trade, as well as kidnapping American sailors (impressment). So America declared war, and proved its independence furthermore by successfully beating the world’s strongest military force again.
The War of 1812, also known as “Mr. Madison’s War”, was caused by three main disputes between the British and the Americans: several trade acts oppressing America’s trade with both France and Britain, the recruiting of unwilling American men into the Royal Navy, and the British support of Native Americans resisting expansion. Although the unfair actions of the British brought forth much animosity from many Americans, there were still a good number of people opposing the war. There were many arguments between several political parties, and disagreements about the war continued on through the duration of it.
There was also concern, as aforementioned, that Russia would intervene to restore Spanish control of the Latin American colonies. Although much of the Monroe Doctrine seemed to be focused on Spain, there was another nation and general idea that persuaded Monroe and Adams that these principles were necessary; they were Britain and Unilateralism. Britain, like Spain, had permanent colonies, settlements, and claims in the new world. The one prized colony to their colonial chest was Canada, supplying fur, trade, and money to the British people.
Primarily, the United States foreign policy behind the Monroe Doctrine was introduced by President James Monroe in the midst of many Latin American countries gaining their independence from Spain. The doctrine stated that attempts by European countries to colonize or interfere with states in the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as acts of aggression and U.S. intervention would be necessary. The Monroe Doctrine set the precedent for various foreign policies that would result in U.S. involvement in Latin America.
Before considering Professor X’s assertion that the Roosevelt Corollary actually corrupted the Monroe Doctrine’s “benevolent intent,” it is worth considering whether or not the Monroe Docterine was as benevolent as the unnamed professor seems to suggest. Professor X considers Monroe’s 1823 Doctrine an act of benevolence, in which an increasingly dominant world power generously extends protection over its continental neighbors. Yet the Professor ignores the inherently imperialistic subtext that is contained within the Doctrine, and thus his comparison of the Monroe Doctrine to the Roosevelt Corollary omits a fundamental aspect of America’s colonialist history.
...trine provided an appropriate, legitimate response to international pressures, and most importantly, it used the situation to the maximum advantage of the United States. The Doctrine’s mutual non-interference clause was more than easy to follow, since the rebels of South America left few settlements in European hands anyway. The United States was given a lot of room to exercise its plans of annexing Texas or even Cuba, both cleared of strings with Europe. Not to mention, the Monroe Doctrine also contributed to the efforts of boxing out competitors in the Wild West. Going even further to prove its maturity and growth of international status, the United States declared this announcement free of any alliance with Britain. Based on the above arguments, it would be fair to say that the Monroe Doctrine was the most significant diplomatic document in the Ante-bellum era.
The early1820’s were a time of great change and expansion in America. The population increased 33% in under ten years, making it just shy of ten million people legally residing within its borders. Furthermore, the caste system of slavery was beginning to fray at its edges and become incoherent for the ethics of society. This massive influx of immigrants, and internal freeing of slaves put a heavy strain on US territory, and demanded for expansion. As the US grew further West, the issue of foreign affairs became extremely evident. The president at this time of expansion was James Monroe, a man of French and Skotish decent and the last founding father to be president. He was elected for his second term in 1821, and eventually in 1823, he developed and anounced his solution to the growing issue of forign affairs, particularly relating to Europe. The Monroe Doctrine (actually coined the “Monroe Doctrine” in 1850) was a policy dictating how the country should take action against other countries in matters of colonies and the expansion in the west. Simply put, it was scripture dictating the flow of expansion and development.
As he says, “But with the governments who have declared their independence and maintained it, and whose independence we have, on great consideration and on just principles, acknowledge, we could not view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing them, or controlling in any other manner their destiny, by any European power in any other light than as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States” (Monroe Doctrine, 190). This quote gives the United States a hard stance on European involvement, and vows to get involved if these powers try to assert themselves in America’s sphere of influence. This also has tone of the American policy of manifest destiny, where American began to further expand its influence with the principles of freedom in mind (Foner, Give Me Liberty, p.339). This also plays into the idea of American exceptionalism, where American values and ideals are best and they need to be spread to others in the world, which is shown in their willingness to get involved in other nations within the western hemisphere to help protect their independence and freedom. This was done to protect themselves as, “it is impossible that the allied powers should extend their political system to any portion of [North or South America] without endangering our
As one of America’s earliest substantive positions on foreign policy, the Monroe Doctrine shaped the interactions of the US with foreign nations for over a century. While it possessed four tenets, its central message was clear: No foreign power would ever again be allowed to colonize in the Americas. At the time of the doctrine’s formulation, it was reflective of an anti-colonial sentiment prevalent in the young nation. Moreover, logic suggests that preventing foreign nations from re-colonizing the Americas ensures the security and independence of the United States. Unfortunately, the actions of countless later administrations would reek of hypocrisy and bullheadedness. This paper seeks to demonstrate why the rise of American imperialism is
The Monroe Doctrine and the Manifest Destiny stated America's philosophies regarding foreign policy. The Monroe Doctrine (1823), crafted by President Monroe and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, was a statem...
I am directing this message to the united states of america are people we would like you to help us get the Monroe Doctrine. We need the Monroe Doctrine because it brings a set of beliefs and political party used as a government policy we also need it because we feel like the purpose of the Monroe Doctrine makes us as a more powerful nation. We the United States think that we should declare against the foreign colonization. We have the nations to colonize land in North and South America. As one of you myself believes that it will help us fix our nation we will be seen as a strong state. We ask you to help us gain the possibility of actually be taken seriously. A country that grows by the moment. We want the Monroe Doctrine because after we
However, I must wonder if the Monroe Doctrine should be reduced to a product of its time. Only, seventy-two years after the creation of the Monroe Doctrine, it was extended to allow a certain amount of meddling in European affairs. In 1895 a boundary dispute arose between
E E Cooper an educated African American man appealed to the African-American race by saying the Spanish-American War would unite people of all races and the United States could be a multiracial family where everyone was proud and happy to fight for their country. The positive views were more prominent since the expansion of overseas territory would help the United States become more of a world power. Puck published its magazine following the end of the Spanish-American War after the States gained the Philippines as a territory. This was also written the same year as the Roosevelt Corollary which was an add on to the Monroe Doctrine of 1823. The Monroe Doctrine was a document the requested the European nations not to occupy the Western Hemisphere. However, when there was a crisis in Venezuela Roosevelt feared a European power would then invade the country so he added the Roosevelt Corollary. This made it so the United States could get involved in foreign affairs if there were flagrant cases of wrongdoing and impotence which made it possible for the United States to expand further and become a world power. The United States wanted to have outposts and fueling stations in the Pacific so that they could regulate trade in Asia. The United States also wanted to be able to open up foreign trading markets after what happened in the