Historical Significance of the Monroe Doctrine
by Barry Wright
Essay: Historical Significance of the Monroe Doctrine
Pages: 10
Rating: 3 stars
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President James Monroe declared “In the discussions to which this interest has given rise and in the arrangements
by which they may terminate the occasion has been judged proper for asserting, as a principle in which the rights
and interests of the United States are involved, that the American continents, by the free and independent
condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future
colonization by any European powers,” on December 2, 1823 in the Monroe Doctrine. It was the first United States
of America foreign policy statement that declared the settlement of the Western Hemisphere off-limits of the
European nations. Though reiterated a myriad of times afterwards, it was the first document to state that the
United States of America would view any attempt of any European power or allied powers to control any nation in
the Western Hemisphere as hostile. The Monroe Doctrine was the United States of America’s first response to the
fear that Spain would attempt to restore their former colonies in the Americas, especially Florida. Therefore, the
Monroe Doctrine holds great importance to the United States of America history because it solidly produced
evidence regarding how the United States would view European nations attempting to attain land in the Americas
and that the United States would act upon it in order to protect its people and its land
There are two major principles focused on in the Monroe Doctrine, which emerged earlier than this document,
were seen afterward, and can still be seen today. The first major principle is that the sovereignty of the United
States and the rest of the Americas must be kept (“free and independent condition which they have assumed and
mainta...