The Monroe Doctrine: America's "No Trespassing" Sign

Target: I can explain the main principles of the Monroe Doctrine and describe the U.S.'s role in the Western Hemisphere by analyzing a historical text and a political cartoon.

Key Vocabulary

• Monroe Doctrine: A U.S. foreign policy from 1823 that warned European nations to stay out of the affairs of the Western Hemisphere (North and South America).

  
  

• Sphere of Influence: A region where a particular country has a great deal of power or influence, even if it has no formal authority.

  
  

• Colonization: The act of one country sending settlers to establish political control over another land or territory.

  
  

• Intervention: To interfere in the affairs of another country, especially with military force.

  
  

• Hemisphere: One half of the Earth. The Monroe Doctrine focuses on the Western Hemisphere.

Part 1: Do Now (5 minutes) Directions: Read the prompt below and write a 5-8 sentence response. Prompt: Imagine a new family moves into the biggest house on your block. They immediately announce that from now on, no one from any other neighborhood is allowed to get involved in any disputes on this block. The new family declares they will be the ones to handle any problems. How might the other families on the block feel? What does this announcement say about the new family's view of themselves?

Part 2: Analyzing the Sources

Directions: Read the excerpt from the Monroe Doctrine (Document 1) and analyze the political cartoon (Document 2). Then, answer the questions that follow.

Document 1: Excerpt from the Monroe Doctrine, 1823

Original Text	Simplified Meaning
"...the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers..."	"The time is right to make a statement: The American continents are free and independent, and no European country can try to create new colonies here in the future."
"...we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety."	"We would see any attempt by European countries to spread their political system to our half of the world as a threat to our own peace and safety."
"...with the Governments who have declared their independence... we could not view any interposition [intervention] for the purpose of oppressing them... by any European power... as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States."	"If any European power tries to interfere with or control the new independent countries in the Americas, we will see it as a hostile act against the United States itself."

Document 2: "The Big Stick in the Caribbean Sea" (1904 Political Cartoon)

Description: This cartoon shows U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt as a giant walking through the Caribbean Sea holding a huge club or "Big Stick," representing America's growing power. He is watching over the smaller countries of Latin America while European ships sail away, showing the U.S. warning them to stay out.

Think-Ink-Pair-Share

Directions: Answer questions 1-2 on your own.

Then, work with a partner to answer question 3.

1. In your own words, what are the two main warnings the U.S. gives to Europe in Document 1?

   
   

   Sentence Starter: The first warning is that..., and the second warning is that...

   
   

2. In the cartoon (Document 2), what does the "Big Stick" represent? What is the cartoon's message about America's role?

   
   

   Sentence Starter: The "Big Stick" represents... and the cartoon's message is that America...

   
   

3. (Work with your partner) How does the cartoon show the long-term result of the policy described in the text? Did the U.S. just want to protect its neighbors, or did it also want to control them?

   
   

   Sentence Starter: The cartoon suggests the long-term result was... because it shows... This means the U.S. wanted to...

Part 3: Exit Ticket (5 minutes) Prompt: In a detailed paragraph, explain how the Monroe Doctrine was like a "No Trespassing" sign for the Western Hemisphere. Use at least one piece of evidence from Monroe's text and one from the political cartoon.