Skip to main content

Monroe Doctrine - Library Of Congress



Want to get appreciation. When you posting, when you liking & when you sharing. You earn money Today in History - October 17 | Library of Congress
Skip to main content

Today in History - October 17

Monroe Doctrine

On October 17, 1823, President James Monroe wrote a letter to his friend and Virginia neighbor Thomas Jefferson seeking advice on foreign policy. The issue at hand was whether to accept an offer from Great Britain to issue a joint declaration warning other powers such as Spain and France not to intervene in the affairs of Central and South America.

…shall we entangle ourselves at all, in European politicks, & wars, on the side of any power, against others…?

Letter, James Monroe to Thomas Jefferson Seeking Foreign Policy Advice, October 17, 1823. Words and Deeds in American History: Selected Documents Celebrating the Manuscript Division’s First 100 Years. Manuscript Division

[James Monroe, fifth president of the United States]. From a painting by Gilbert Stuart; Pendleton’s Lithography, [1828?]. Popular Graphic Arts. Prints & Photographs Division

Both Jefferson and former president James Madison, whom Monroe also had consulted, recommended cooperation with Britain. However, Monroe’s Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams, was more cautious, arguing instead for an independent denunciation of any further European colonization in the Western Hemisphere. In addition to the potential threat from Spain and France, Adams was also concerned about Russian encroachments on the west coast of North America. “It would be more candid,” Adams warned Monroe at a November 7, 1823, cabinet meeting, “as well as more dignified, to avow our principles explicitly to Russia and France, than to come in as a cockboat in the wake of the British man-of-war.”

J. Q. Adams. Engraving, from original painting by G.P.A. Healy; J.C. Tichenor, c1898. Prints & Photographs Division

Heeding Adams’s advice, Monroe chose to pursue a course independent of Great Britain. He outlined his policy, later known as the Monroe Doctrine, in an address to Congress on December 2, 1823. “We should consider any attempt [on the part of European nations],” Monroe declared, “to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety.” Monroe also stated, “that the American continents…are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers.” Although the United States initially lacked the power or influence to uphold the Monroe Doctrine, it remained in force largely because it was consistent with Great Britain’s interest in maintaining access to Latin American markets.

As the United States gained military and economic strength, American leaders began to interpret the Monroe Doctrine as justification for U.S. involvement in Latin America. In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt, who had been an enthusiastic supporter of the Spanish-American War, added the “Roosevelt Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine. In order to prevent European nations from involving themselves in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere, the Roosevelt Corollary proclaimed that if a Latin American country failed to maintain internal order or pay its international debts, the United States had the exclusive right to intervene with military force to rectify the situation.

Law office of James Monroe, Fredericksburg, Virginia. Exterior of James Monroe’s office. Theodor Horydczak, photographer, circa 1920-1950. Horydczak Collection. Prints & Photographs Division

Learn More

Popular posts from this blog

21 Day Get Fit

21 Days Get Fit Do You Want Incredible Weight Loss Results in 21 Days? 4 ebooks for $97.00 + Unlimited Access to Ask Diet & Exercise Questions & Guidance from World Renowned Diet & Fitness Expert Obi Obadike in a Private Facebook Group 72 Hour Money Back Guarantee Why Many Diet and Exercise Programs ​Fail? https://link.safecart.com/2msnt5/aHR0cDovL3d3dy4yMWRheXNnZXRmaXQuY29tLw Body Type Diet Plans Quick Results No Gym No Weights 4 ebooks + Access to Private Facebook Group to Ask Unlimited Questions & Receive Guidance from the Creator of the 21 Day GetFit - Obi Obadike for $97.00 30 Minute Workouts Easy To Follow Meal/Diet Plans Instructional Home Workout Videos As Seen On What is 21 Day GetFit? Creator of the  21 Day GetFit  - Celebrity Fitness & Nutrition Expert  Obi Obadike Best Selling Diet Author Creator of 21 Day GetFit OBI OBADIKE Celebrity Fitness & Nu

Political science journals

Want to get appreciation. When you posting, when you liking & when you sharing. You earn money Political Science  is a field of study which examines the acquisition and application of power in public affairs. It encompasses research on national philosophies, comparative politics, international relations and, a diverse array of systems of governance, both political and economic. The journal includes a wide range of fields in its discipline to create a platform for the authors to make their contribution towards the journal and the editorial office promises a peer review process for the submitted manuscripts for the quality of publishing. The Journal of Political Science and Public Affairs is an Open Access Journal. It aims to serve as a complete and reliable source of information on the discoveries and current developments in the mode of original articles, review articles, case reports, short communications, etc. in all areas of the field and

Benjamin Banneker

Want to get appreciation. When you posting, when you liking & when you sharing. You earn money Today in History - November 9 | Library of Congress Skip to main content menu Discover Services Visit Education Connect About Ask a Librarian Help Contact Search Online Catalog Copyright.gov Congress.gov Library of Congress Search All Formats Audio Recordings