The main purpose of the Monroe Doctrine, articulated in 1823 by President James Monroe, was to deter European colonialism and intervention in the Americas. The doctrine asserted that any attempts by European nations to colonize or interfere in the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as acts of aggression against the United States, which would respond accordingly. It aimed to protect the newly independent nations in Latin America from European re-colonization and to assert U.S. influence in the region. The Monroe Doctrine became a cornerstone of American foreign policy and reflected the desire for the U.S. to establish itself as a dominant power in the Americas.