Monroe Doctrine Dbq

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It is no doubt that the Monroe Doctrine has become a staple in the study of American foreign policy. Since the establishment of the nation, America’s role in foreign policy has been questioned and under constant scrutiny. In his Farewell Address, George Washington warned of foreign entanglement. Stemming from Washington’s warning to Monroe’s doctrine – a disagreement has grown, what is the American role in the World. It was President James Monroe’s doctrine that ushered in a new belief for America’s role. Monroe declared that America’s role was in protecting the hemisphere from further European advancement. But what does that mean? Thankfully, through Jay Sexton’s, The Monroe Doctrine, we can understand how Americans envisioned themselves in …show more content…

Having defeated the British and winning independence, a new nation and people have been founded. The American people therefore had been formed from a time of war. Rising from the Revolution, with the British still living in their backyard, one can only assume that it seemed as if the British where going to march through at any given time. When we study the events that led up and preceded the War of 1812 we can see many reflection to the Revolutionary period. So the question remains, how did Americans envision themselves? I would say powerful yet constantly aware and uncertain. Monroe takes it upon himself to use the constant vigilance as a means to drive his view on foreign policy. His Doctrine, inspired from the Napoleonic Wars, gave Americans a new belief that European powers would no longer be welcomed in the New …show more content…

Stating, “We owe it, therefore, to candor and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and those powers to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety.” According to Saxton, Monroe believed that his Doctrine established a new notion that Americans could achieve an empire through the rejection of colonial imperialism. Saxton further writes that Monroe emphasized that the intention of the United States was only to use military force to resist European colonial advancement in the New