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Difficulty: EasyImperialism and the Spanish-American War

"Chronic wrongdoing, or an impotence which results in a general loosening of the ties of civilized society, may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately require intervention by some civilized nation, and in the Western Hemisphere the adherence of the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases of such wrongdoing or impotence, to the exercise of an international police power."
— President Theodore Roosevelt, Annual Message to Congress, 1904

Which of the following was a primary goal of the policy described in the excerpt?

  1. A
    Form a mutual military alliance with Latin American nations to jointly defend the Western Hemisphere.
  2. B
    Reaffirm a commitment to absolute isolationism by withdrawing all United States forces from the Caribbean.
  3. Assert the right of the United States to intervene unilaterally in Latin American nations to maintain economic and political stability.Answer
  4. D
    Avenge the sinking of the USS Maine by European forces in South American waters.

Answer

Assert the right of the United States to intervene unilaterally in Latin American nations to maintain economic and political stability.
The excerpt represents the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, announced by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. In it, Roosevelt asserted that chronic instability or debt problems in Latin American nations could force the United States to act as an 'international police power' and intervene unilaterally. The goal was to maintain regional stability and prevent European powers from using these crises as pretexts for military intervention or colonization in the Western Hemisphere.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the historical context and document of the stimulus excerpt.
The excerpt is from President Theodore Roosevelt's 1904 address, which established the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.
Placing the text in its correct chronological and historical context is necessary to understand the policy goals.
2
Interpret the meaning of 'international police power' in the context of the Roosevelt Corollary.
It refers to the United States asserting a unilateral right to intervene militarily and financially in the Western Hemisphere to maintain order.
This interpretation connects the primary source's terminology directly to the intended policy actions.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one that accurately describes this unilateral interventionist goal.
Identify that the option focused on asserting the right to intervene unilaterally to maintain stability matches the policy, while rejecting options that suggest isolationism, cooperative alliances, or direct reactions to the USS Maine.
This step eliminates incorrect historical interpretations and selects the option that aligns with the core purpose of the Roosevelt Corollary.

Key Concept

The Roosevelt Corollary and U.S. interventionism in Latin America
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Topics

Imperialism and the Spanish-American War

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