The nineteenth century was an exciting and vibrant era that not only dramatically altered the physical face of our nation due to the rapid development of large cities and manufacturing facilities, but also helped modify and shape the values that have come to define our American character. Unlike the relatively slow-paced lifestyle maintained during agrarian times, which required communal generosity and cooperation in order to weather difficult times, the Industrial Revolution dramatically altered the condition of society, in that qualities such as ambition, avarice, and unmitigated competitiveness came to be required to get ahead in a burgeoning business world. Similarly, an expansionistic desire to move out West gripped thousands of adventurous young Americans, whose pioneering spirit drove them to uproot entire Native American civilizations in the pursuit of their dreams of wealth and prosperity west of the Mississippi. As our nation became more and more intent upon increasing its level of financial, economic, and territorial wealth, the qualities that had affected our country domestically began to be incorporated into the way that it conducted global politics as well. American politicians soon gained a better appreciation for and recognition of the immense power and international prestige that the U.S. held and thus began asserting themselves in the realm of international relations, ultimately leading to the Monroe Doctrine, which propelled our nation on a path of global leadership and involvement that it still follows today. By examining the reasoning behind and historical applications of the Monroe Doctrine, it becomes apparent that many of the global conditions that have contributed to the success of this proclamation in the past no longer exist, and that because of the economically interdependent global society in which we now live, it is in the best interest of the United States and the many other countries of the world to...