Dec. 2, 1823: In his State of the Union address to Congress, President James Monroe outlined the "Monroe Doctrine," saying the Western Hemisphere was off limits for colonization by, or interference from, foreign powers. Monroe's comments — aimed at European powers — added that any such efforts would be viewed by the United States as acts of aggression requiring U.S. intervention. At the same time, the doctrine stated that the U.S. would neither interfere with existing European colonies nor meddle in the internal concerns of European countries.
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