Monroe Doctrine Summary

The Set-Up

After a few border conflicts and negotiations and several independence revolutions in Latin America, folks in the U.S. hear rumors that European countries have their eye on the Americas yet again. Britain tries to form an alliance with the U.S., but the president decides to go solo on this one.

The Text

The Monroe Doctrine, as it has become known, is only a few paragraphs in a larger speech. President James Monroe uses the framework of several recent events involving European nations and the Americas to lay out four main claims as a response (in this order):

1. The Americas are off-limits for future colonization.
2. The U.S. has never gotten involved in the war shenanigans of Europe, unless those shenanigans directly involved the U.S.
3. Don't worry, Europe: The United States won't mess with your remaining colonies in the New World.
4. But also, if you try and make more colonies, that's a threat against the U.S., and the U.S. will not be pleased.

The president begins this portion of his speech with a reminder about negotiations underway between the U.S. and Russia about the Russian Czar's claims on the Pacific Northwest. He also reiterates the United States' neutrality policy several times, particularly noting the recent Spanish civil war and French intervention as an example of how Europe doesn't have its stuff together.

The final big point that Monroe makes is his main argument for why this "doctrine" should exist. He says that you can't impose the style of government in Europe (a.k.a. monarchy) onto the independent republics over in the hip New World.

First of all, Europe is so far away; it's logistically challenging. Plus, it would be a threat to the U.S., a.k.a. the Original Independent Republic of the New World.

Anyone need a new band name? It's catchy and patriotic.

TL;DR

The United States has let messy, moldy-oldy Europe deal with its own problems, so Europe had better not try to take over anyone in the Western Hemisphere, because any new colonial nonsense will definitely be a threat to the U.S.