Historical Document 3 Roosevelt Corollary

1. Historical Document 3Roosevelt Corollary “We would interfere with them (the Southern nations) only in the last resort, and then only if it became evident that their inability or unwillingness to do justice at home and abroad had violated the rights of the United States or had invited foreign aggression to the detriment of the entire body of American nations.”

2. Topic or main idea The US would only intervene in South America if the Latin American Countries’ behaviors violated American rights or invited foreign aggression.

3. Point of view or bias • The US mainly wanted to keep strong European powers far away so they would not be able to push around Latin America and to keep these rival powers away from home.

4. Inferences • Europeans would interfere to force payment from South America • Believed that if Germans or British intervened in South America they would remain, violated Monroe Doctrine. • Monroe Doctrine states further acts of European colonization or intervention would be viewed as aggression. • US would intervene, pay off debts, etc. • Part of “big stick” policy