Mexico's Independence and the Monroe Doctrine

My notes from the second lecture in the series about "Mexico and the US, A Contentious Relationship"

• 1810 - Napoleon seizes Spain and the Spanish royalty. With the disappearance of the monarchy the link holding Latin America to Spain is effectively severed. It is noting like the US severance from England.
• 1823 - The Monroe Doctrine. Drafted Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, suggested by the Foreign Minister of England who wanted a joint declaration that would weaken Spain's hold on commerce with Latin America and open it up to the English.
• John Quincy Adams rejects the idea of a joint declaration with England to reassert American independence.
• Europe rebels against Napoleonic governments and wants to restore Ferdinand VII in Spain, and claims to the Spanish colonies including Latin America.
• Russia claims the northwest corner of North America - Alaska and 100 miles of the ocean off the shore.

Monroe Doctrine

• Americas not open to colonization (aimed at Spain and Portugal)
• No European power will be allowed to interfere in internal affairs of American countries
• Any violation will be considered an Act of Aggression

Rationale:

• Latin American countries sent raw materials to Spain and Spain manufactured and sold goods to other countries.
  
• England and USA wanted to change that economic model, or not restore it.

• Latin American countries liked the protective cover provided by the Monroe Doctrine
  
• Lucas Alaman, the Mexican Foreign Minister, was the only one who objected and warned Bolivar and the Mexican President of the risks of being dominated by their neighbor to the north. Alaman lived to see the Mexican American War and the American annexation of 2/3 of Mexico.

1904 Theodore Roosevelt

• Changes the role of the Monroe Doctrine
• Asserts: America has the right to interfere in affairs of any Latin American county, an intrinsic duty, any time they are not living up to their responsibilities.
• This is right after the Spanish-American War and the Treaty of Paris in 1899 where the US took away the last remnants of the Spanish empire: Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
• Roosevelt carves Panama out of Colombia and succeeds in building the Panama Canal.

• In Mexico there is a rebellion and surprisingly, they offer the crown back to Ferdinand.
  
• Roman Catholicism is to be the official religion of Mexico (contrasted to American separation of church and state and no official religion)
• Equality between Spaniards and Mexican-born Spaniards (Creoles), but not mestizos or Indians.
• Following a lot of changing of sides, complex alliances, execution of the original leaders of the rebellion, Augustin de Iturbide is named Emperor of the independent Mexico.