Editing James Monroe (section)

==== South American Wars of Independence ====
In 1810, [[Spanish American wars of independence|South America's wars of independence]] began, inspired by the American and French Revolutionary Wars, but the Madison administration, as well as Monroe himself during his first term in office, treated the conflicts as civil wars and kept the United States neutral.<ref name=":8">{{harvnb|Unger|2009|pp=312–313}}</ref> Monroe was deeply sympathetic to the revolutionary movements against Spain, and was determined that the United States should never repeat the policies of the Washington administration during the French Revolution, when the nation had failed to demonstrate its sympathy for the aspirations of peoples seeking to establish republican governments. He did not envisage military involvement in Latin American affairs, but only the provision of moral support, as he believed that a direct American intervention would provoke other European powers into assisting Spain.{{sfn|Ammon|1971|pp=476–492}} Monroe initially refused to recognize the Latin American governments due to ongoing negotiations with Spain over Florida.{{sfn|Cunningham|1996|pp=105–106}}

Following their respective declarations of independence, the South American republics quickly sent emissaries to Washington to ask for diplomatic recognition and economic and trade relations. In 1818, Monroe assured a representative of the [[United Provinces of the Río de la Plata]] that his attitude was "impartial neutrality," Although not diplomatically recognized, the young republics enjoyed the advantages of a sovereign nation in economic, trade, and diplomatic relations with the United States.<ref name=":7" /> After Spain and America had fully ratified the Adams–Onís Treaty in February 1821 and a liberal government had come to power in [[Madrid]], Monroe officially recognized the countries of [[Argentina]], [[Peru]], [[Colombia]], [[Chile]], and [[Mexico]], all of which had won [[Spanish American wars of independence|independence]] from Spain.<ref name="JMforeign" /> Secretary of State Adams, under Monroe's supervision, wrote the instructions for the ministers to these new countries. They declared that the policy of the United States was to uphold republican institutions and to seek treaties of commerce on a most-favored-nation basis. The United States would support inter-American congresses dedicated to the development of economic and political institutions fundamentally differing from those prevailing in Europe. Monroe took pride as the United States was the first nation to extend recognition and to set an example to the rest of the world for its support of the "cause of liberty and humanity".{{sfn|Ammon|1971|pp=476–492}}