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The Monroe Doctrine: A Close Reading
Guiding Question
- To what events in United States and European foreign affairs does the Monroe
Doctrine refer?
- What was the primary purpose behind the Monroe Doctrine?
Learning Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
- Relate specific passages in the Monroe Doctrine to events in early U.S.
diplomacy.
Background for Students
If desired, provide background information on the Monroe Doctrine from the class
text or a source such as Monroe
Doctrine, from the website of the U.S. Department
of State, a link from the EDSITEment resource Internet
Public Library. To understand the Monroe Doctrine, it is essential that
the class have a basic background in early American diplomacy. If desired, see
Lesson One,
above, and particularly the handout "Documentary
Timeline: American Diplomacy Before the Monroe Doctrine," on pages 1-7 of
the PDF file (see Preparing
to Teach This Curriculum Unit for download instructions), for a capsule review
of early American diplomacy and related events that provides sufficient background
for the discussion to follow.
Introduction
Briefly share the patriotic broadside The
First Great Western Empire (on the EDSITEment-reviewed website Harpweek)
published June 1812, the month in which the War of 1812 was declared. If desired,
use the Written
Document Analysis Worksheet on the EDSITEment resource Digital
Classroom to aid your analysis. Patriotic fervor at a time of war is
to be expected, but in what sense, if any, was the United States of 1812 an "empire?"
Have students look up the word in the dictionary. We cannot know with certainty
now how widespread the feeling was then that the United States was an empire,
or an empire-in-the-making. But the kind of expansionist agenda that goes hand-in-hand
with empire building is sometimes cited as a motivation behind the Monroe Doctrine.
Remember that James Monroe served as secretary of state and secretary of war during
the War of 1812. As students read the Monroe Doctrine, they can decide for themselves
what was truly its purpose..
Activity
Read with the class the text of The
Monroe Doctrine from the handout "The
Monroe Doctrine: A Close Reading" on pages 14-15 of the PDF file (see Preparing
to Teach This Curriculum Unit for download instructions). The handout replaces
the original paragraphing and, instead, organizes the text by subject. It contains
all of the language of the original as presented by the EDSITEment-reviewed website
The Avalon Project.
Discuss the text with the class using the following questions as guidelines:
- To what event(s) or condition(s) in the history of the United States and/or
its diplomacy does each section refer?
- In what ways, if any, does the Monroe Doctrine address American concerns
for peace and safety?
- In what ways, if any, does the Monroe Doctrine invoke U.S. sympathy for
revolutionary governments in South America?
- In what ways, if any, does the Monroe Doctrine continue the American policy
of neutrality?
- In what ways, if any, does the Monroe Doctrine address American desires
to expand its territory?
- Do students see any other motives behind the Monroe Doctrine?
Assessment
Students should be able to respond effectively to the bulleted questions above.
Ask students to state in writing, supported by evidence, their answer to this
question: What was the primary purpose behind the Monroe Doctrine?
Selected EDSITEment Websites
The Avalon Project
[http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/avalon.htm]
Digital Classroom
[http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/index.html]
Harpweek
[http://loc.harpweek.com/]
Internet Public Library
[http://www.ipl.org]
Standards Alignment
View your state’s standards
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