Texes Social Studies Content Practice Exam

What doctrine declared that the Western Hemisphere was off-limits for European colonization?

1. The Monroe Doctrine

2. The Truman Doctrine

3. The Roosevelt Corollary

4. The Marshall Plan

The correct answer is: The Monroe Doctrine

The Monroe Doctrine is the correct answer as it was a significant policy articulated in 1823 by President James Monroe. This doctrine declared that any further attempts by European nations to colonize or interfere in the affairs of the countries in the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as acts of aggression, prompting U.S. intervention. Essentially, it aimed to protect the sovereignty of nations in the Americas and ensure that the Western Hemisphere remained free from European colonial influence. This was a foundational moment in U.S. foreign policy, asserting the nation’s role as a dominant power in the Western Hemisphere and setting the stage for future international relations in the region. The other options relate to different historical contexts: The Truman Doctrine focused on containing Communism during the Cold War, the Roosevelt Corollary expanded on the Monroe Doctrine by justifying U.S. intervention in Latin American nations, and the Marshall Plan was an initiative for economic recovery in Europe after World War II. Each of these also played important roles in U.S. history but does not pertain to the specific assertion regarding European colonization in the Western Hemisphere.