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Difficulty: MediumThe War of 1812 and the Monroe Doctrine

"The ground that I wish to take is that of earnest remonstrance against the interference of the European powers by force with South America, but to disclaim all interference on our part with Europe; to make an American cause and adhere inflexibly to that. . . . It would be more candid, as well as more dignified, to avow our principles explicitly to Great Britain and Russia, than to come in as a cockboat in the wake of the British man-of-war."

— John Quincy Adams, Secretary of State, Memoirs, November 1823

Which of the following goals of United States foreign policy in the early 1820s is most directly reflected in the sentiments expressed in the excerpt?

  1. A
    Creating a formal mutual defense alliance with newly independent Latin American republics.
  2. Establishing an independent diplomatic stance to discourage European intervention in the Western Hemisphere.Answer
  3. C
    Forging a joint military partnership with Great Britain to patrol the Atlantic and suppress colonial revolutions.
  4. D
    Realigning U.S. foreign policy to support French imperial ambitions in the Americas against British commerce.

Answer

Establishing an independent diplomatic stance to discourage European intervention in the Western Hemisphere.
The correct answer is correct because the excerpt demonstrates Secretary of State John Quincy Adams's argument that the United States should issue its own independent declaration of foreign policy (which became the Monroe Doctrine) rather than accepting Great Britain's invitation to make a joint statement. This unilateral approach allowed the United States to warn European powers against further colonization or intervention in the Americas while maintaining its sovereignty and avoiding being seen as subordinate to British naval power.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source author and context.
The author is Secretary of State John Quincy Adams in November 1823, writing just before the announcement of the Monroe Doctrine.
Contextualizing the source helps identify the political and diplomatic environment surrounding the statement.
2
Interpret Adams's metaphor of the "cockboat in the wake of the British man-of-war."
Adams is rejecting a joint U.S.-British declaration, arguing that the U.S. should declare its opposition to European colonization independently.
Understanding Adams's rhetoric explains the U.S. choice to act unilaterally rather than in a formal alliance.
3
Connect this policy stance to the broader objectives of the Monroe Doctrine.
The Monroe Doctrine asserted that the Western Hemisphere was closed to further European colonization while pledging U.S. neutrality in European affairs.
Linking the primary source to historical trends demonstrates how the document reflects the primary goals of early 19th-century American foreign policy.

Key Concept

The unilateral nature and diplomatic goals of the Monroe Doctrine
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

The War of 1812 and the Monroe Doctrine

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