Many foreign policies came to be in the 1800’s and 1900’s, including the Monroe Doctrine, the Roosevelt Corollary, Big Stick Diplomacy, the Dollar Diplomacy, and Wilson’s Missionary Diplomacy. These changed many things in the world and are very important in the United States’ and world’s history.The Monroe Doctrine was an American foreign policy opposing interference or colonization in the western hemisphere, or the Americas, from the European government. Also, the United States would not interfere with European colonies. It was introduced on December 2, 1823 by President James Monroe. This basically said that the Americas no longer were open to European colonization, and any attempt to do so would be considered as “dangerous to the peace and safety” of the Americans. The Doctrine essentially said “to leave the Americas to the Americans”.
James MonroeThe Roosevelt Corollary was an amendment to the Monroe Doctrine in 1904 by President Theodore Roosevelt. This stated that the United States would now use force to protect its economic interests in Latin America. Roosevelt based this on a West African proverb that said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” The Monroe Doctrine and Roosevelt Corollary stated that if any nation was susceptible to European control, the U.S. had the right to get involved.
Theodore RooseveltThe Big Stick Diplomacy was the idea of negotiating peacefully, but threatening with a ‘big stick’. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick” many times during his career. This described Roosevelt’s corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.
The Dollar Diplomacy was influenced by economic situations, in which the United States tried to expand foreign policy in Latin America and East Asia by promising loans from American businesspeople to them. This was created under the presidency of William H. Taft. Taft said that by using this, the situation in Latin America went from “warlike and political” to “peaceful and economic”. Latin Americans sometimes used the term to show the disapproval of the involvement of the U.S. The Dollar Diplomacy extended into Central America to protect the Panama Canal, as well.
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