The Monroe Doctrine - 1823

By the decade of the 1820's, most of the new world countries had gained their independence from European rule. However, there remained the threat that European nations might try to re-take their prior colonies.

To assert its authority in the western hemisphere, the United States adopted the Monroe Doctrine. The doctrine was of importance because it emphasized the growing strength of America and it demonstrated that the new country saw itself as the primary power in the new world.

It was also of great importance because it gave a warning to the European powers that they could not meddle in North or South American affairs without the possibility of American intervention.

This is an abbreviated list of the principles put forth by the Monroe Doctrine:

1. The countries of the new world were no longer available for European colonization.
2. The political systems of the Americas are different than those of Europe.
3. The United States of America would view any interference in the Americas as a threat to its security.
4. The United States would stay out of European conflicts and would not interfere with other western hemisphere countries.

Basically, Monroe wanted to make it clear that the United States would not tolerate interference in it's part of the world.