LAD 10

The Monroe Doctrine was a U.S. foreign policy statement that declared the western hemisphere was off limits for European colonization. The doctrine was created by James Monroe December 2nd 1823. The doctrine stated that any European country that tried to colonize land in the western hemisphere would be seen as commiting a hostile act toward America. The main goal of this was to stop European powers from trying to get Spain to regain territory they had in the western hemisphere. The doctrine was tested in 1865 when the French were found in Mexico, a mass of American troops were placed on the Rio Grande River to enforce the doctrine. In 1904 President Roosevelt expanded on the doctrine with the Roosevelt Corollary which stated that if there was "wrongdoing" by and Latin American state America had the right to intervine in its foreign affairs, this then became known as the Spheres of Influence.