The Student Room Group
Reply 1
Only reason I can think is the Monroe Doctrine.

Although this was introduced in 1823, it was American policy for much of the 19th and early 20th centuries (last time it was used was during the Cuban Missile Crisis). The Doctrine stated that further colonialisation by the European powers would be seen as an act of aggression by Washington, and that the United States shouldn't interviene with any European affairs.

The Doctrine wasn't really taken seriously at the time because the United States was a insignificant nation with a lack of navy and army, although was eventually accepted by the British as it enabled them to take care of America's naval matters whilst America expanded westward.
Reply 2
Also developing their economy?
Reply 3
e-lover
Also developing their economy?


Yes this is what i have.

Would avoiding war be one of them? Surely the definiton would state this anyway????
Reply 4
It decided to focus on its own development (economy and technology) rather than getting involved in other people's businesses :ninja:

I could be so wrong, I've done no research.
Reply 5
lmfao
Yes this is what i have.

Would avoiding war be one of them? Surely the definiton would state this anyway????

Yeah, there was massive state-led development of the internal economy. Loads of internal migration and open door policy on migration.
Reply 6
e-lover
Yeah, there was massive state-led development of the internal economy. Loads of internal migration and open door policy on migration.


Is this really the only reason? Thanks for help btw
Reply 7
Did America stay economically involved though ie) trade
Reply 8
lmfao
Is this really the only reason? Thanks for help btw

Well I'm a political economist, this is what I think and what I've read. Also remember America had little hegemonic power, very poor citizens etc also deep anti-interventionism was in the mind-sight of Americans.
Reply 9
I'm amazed that everyone has assumed that America was 'isolated'; she only isolated herself from Europe, to prevent what George Washington termed "foreign entanglements".
True she was very focused and determined on expanding Westward further into the continent, however in the period mentioned she went to war with Spain, most notably in Cuba, and then had a protracted war in the Phillipines, hardly keeping to herself!

This was all down to Teddy Roosevelt's "Big Stick" strategy, which led to the US acquiring Panama and the Philippines, and engaging in the ‘Banana Wars’ which she engaged in to protect her commercial interests in Central America.

So my argument is that America isolated herself from Europe as she didn't have a sufficiently powerful Military to interfere in any of their affairs without being severly damaged by it; instead she built up a significant area of influence in the Carribbean, Latin America, and the Pacific.