Like any major world power, the U.S. is as guilty of imperialism and imperialistic policies as any other nation. If we look at the Monroe Doctrine, we see that is was originally a statement made by James Monroe to the Congress. It outlined the activities and rights of Europe in the Western Hemisphere. However, even though the policy was not legitimized by Congress or accepted as international law, its use nonetheless allowed it to become known as the Monroe Doctrine during the 1840s.
The Monroe Doctrine was initially devised because of tensions between the U.S. and Great Britain concerning European expansion in America. The Doctrine would also serve as the guide for U.S. policy in Latin America during the 19th century. Great Britain was concerned that Spain would reclaim its American colonies, while the U.S. was determined to develop its own policies and safeguards independent of European influence. The proclamations of the Monroe Doctrine essentially evolved distinct U.S. interests in need of safeguarding. Monroe “asserted that European powers could no longer colonize the American continents and that they should not interfere with the newly independent Spanish American republics” (Monroe 1). While Monroe reaffirmed America would not interfere in European interests or those of its colonies, the Monroe Doctrine did not represent an isolationist policy. Teddy Roosevelt added a corollary provision to the Monroe Doctrine stating that “if any nation in the western hemisphere acted ‘wrongly’ and in a fashion that might incite foreign intervention in its affairs, the U.S. would act to prevent such an occurrence” (Theodore 3). This authorized the U.S. to intervene in nations on both hemispheres if it felt its own interests at home or abroad were threatened.
The Mexican-American War of 1846-1848 represents the first real imperialist war engaged in by the U.S. One of the biggest concepts leading to the first major ...