The other options of the question were A) aggressive. B) colonial. C) warlike.
The position of the United States toward Latin America in the 1800s can be characterized as protective.
We are talking about a time in the history of the United States when President James Monroe define the US foreign policy and informed Europeans nations not to intervene in the issues of Latin America. He thought that the US was the one to intervene in the situations in Latin America. This policy was commonly known as the "Monroe Doctrine." If European powers decide not to attend to this policy, the US would understand the European intervention as an act of hostility.
Although Thomas Jefferson came to power determined to limit the reach of the federal government, foreign affairs dominated his presidency and pushed him toward Federalist policies that greatly contrasted with his political philosophy.
