US Foreign Policies - Pre-1945

• Isolationism - This is the most important idea in early American foreign policy. The US wanted to be left alone. The world's problems were not ours. We were busy filling up the continent. America viewed itself as the best and didn't see a reason to get involved with the rest of the world.

• City on a Hill - This idea strengthened the isolation theme. American's saw themselves as a "City upon a hill..." We were the most just and perfect nation. If we just did our wonderful thing, the rest of the world could watch us and learn from our example. A particularly puritan program.

• Manifest Destiny - The United States is destined to grow. It is our right and our duty to stretch from "sea to shining sea."

• National Security - This has always been a goal in US foreign policy. We need to make sure that our actions keep us safe. We need to be sure that no country is in a position to invade us or do us damage.

• Free Trade - Trade and Commerce - The US is a trading nation. The strength of our economy requires that we be able to trade freely with all other countries that we want to trade with. We cannot allow any other country to challenge our ability to trade.

• No Entangling Alliances - This is a part of the isolation theme. The US should make no agreements with other countries that could get us into trouble. We can take care of our own protection and we have no need of anyone's help. Therefore, the US should not agree to help anyone else. That could just lead to war. It could also harm our ability to trade at will.

• Monroe Doctrine - The US will allow no other countries to set up colonies anywhere in North, South, or Central America. European countries, in particular monarchies, were not allowed into the Americas. Those colonies that were already in the Americas as of 1823, the Spanish and British ones, the US didn't bother. Monroe also said that the US would not interfere in European politics.

• The Roosevelt Corollary - An addition to the Monroe doctrine that said that the US had the right to act as the police in the Americas. If a nation refused to pay debts or did some other terrible thing, the US could intervene.

• Balance of Power - This is a way to keep anyone from becoming too powerful in one place. The US tries to make sure that in any region, there are two nations of equal strength. That way, there is no way that one nation can take over an entire area. This is important, because if one nation takes over it could threaten the US or stop trade.

• Racism - This is not an official US foreign policy, but sometimes it has seemed to be one. The US has, on occasion, acted as if other people were too uncivilized to take care of themselves. They have also sometimes been less kind to people of color than they might have been to whites.