Monroe Doctrine & Manifest Destiny USHC 2.2

Standard 2.2 USHC-2.2 Explain how the Monroe Doctrine and the concept of Manifest Destiny affected the United States’ relationships with foreign powers, including the role of the United States in the Texan Revolution and the Mexican War.

Dealing with other Nations I t is important for us to get an understanding of how the US’s early decisions effected the actions of foreign powers. Great Britain had established strong trading ties with many Latin American countries after they were liberated from their European colonial captors. After the Napoleonic wars, many monarchs were restored in Europe. They wanted their colonies back.

Monroe Doctrine Britain wanted to protect its lucrative trade and encouraged the United States to join Britain in opposing any reestablishment of colonial claims. But, the US didn’t have the military to back up the claim of the Monroe Doctrine …..they had to rely on the British navy to enforce it.

Monroe Doctrine (cont.) President Monroe warned European nations not to attempt to reestablish those colonial claims. American military power was very limited in the early 19th century and the enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine primarily depended on the British navy.

Monroe Doctrine (cont.) The Monroe Doctrine would be used in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries as a basis for United States involvement in Latin American affairs by Presidents Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson. This caused resentment among Latin Americans.

Manifest Destiny the belief that Americans had a God-given right to all the land of the North American continent was a phrase coined in the 1800s, but was an idea that had predominated American thought since the first settlers. It was based on an ethnocentric confidence that other peoples were less favored by divine providence and should give way before the Americans.

Impact of Manifest Destiny The United States was willing to make a treaty with Great Britain and accept less territory than originally claimed in the Oregon territory. Many Americans from the South moved into Texas at the invitation of the Mexican government to have more land for cotton and slavery. The conditions for that invitation included that the Texans would obey the laws of Mexico.

Impact of Manifest Destiny (cont.) When the Mexican government outlawed slavery, the Texans revolted and won their independence however, the Mexicans did not recognize Texan independence. The annexation of Texas to the United States was delayed in order to avoid the controversy that the addition of the new slave state would raise and Texas remained independent for almost a decade.

Polk and Territories Manifest Destiny became a rallying cry for the election of James Polk in 1844 and Texas was annexed by joint resolution of Congress shortly thereafter. President Polk sent emissaries to Mexico to offer to purchase additional Mexican territory but his offer was rebuffed. Polk then sent American troops into a region that was disputed between Texas and Mexico.

Mexican War The Mexicans interpreted this as a hostile act. Shots were fired and President Polk interpreted that action as an act of war. In the war, United States forces penetrated deeply into Mexican territory. In the resulting peace treaty, the United States acquired land that today includes the states of California, New Mexico, and Arizona.

After Effects with Mexico This ‘disputed territory’ , this was neither American territory nor unclaimed land. The Mexican War established an adversarial relationship between the United States and Mexico that lasted into the twentieth century May still influence resentments exacerbated by the contemporary controversy over illegal immigration.