Question

guiding questions
which of the following describes the monroe doctrine following monroe administration when polk, seward, and roosevelt were in power?
a the meaning of the monroe doctrine grew so it could have a wider influence.
b the meaning of the monroe doctrine became more specific so it couldnt be abused.
c the monroe doctrine continued to enforce monroes initial intentions.
d the terms of the monroe doctrine became more lenient to improve relations with other countries.

o nation has ever experienced such an increase in its power without seeking to translate it into global influence,\ wrote former secretary of state henry kissinger in diplomacy, his history of the u.s. foreign policy. and successive u.s. administrations were no exceptions. they began stretching the meaning of the monroe doctrine until it covered practically any action they wanted to take in the hemisphere. for example, president james k. polk tried to justify the 1845 annexation of texas by arguing that as an independent state it might become \an ally or dependency of some foreign nation,\ and thus endanger american security. in 1861, state secretary william h. seward proposed to invade cuba on similarly specious 3 grounds – he warned that if the south should secede from the union, some european power might exploit the union’s weakness to take over the island. (president lincoln turned down the idea.) by the end of the century, the meaning of the monroe doctrine had been expanded to justify u.s. hegemony 4 throughout the hemisphere and america was ready to flex its muscles still farther. as secretary kissinger pointed out,
o one articulated this attitude more effectively than theodore roosevelt, the president who insisted that it was america’s duty to make its influence felt globally.\

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option A: The text says the meaning of the Monroe Doctrine was stretched (e.g., Polk, Seward, Roosevelt used it for their goals), showing its meaning grew to have wider influence.
• Option B: The examples show it was abused (Polk, Seward tried to use it for annexation/invasion), so B is wrong.
• Option C: The doctrine was expanded beyond initial intentions (used for more than originally), not enforcing initial intentions, so C is wrong.
• Option D: The text is about the doctrine's meaning expansion, not leniency in relations, so D is wrong.

Answer:

A. The meaning of the Monroe Doctrine grew so it could have a wider influence.