Final answer:
The United States was the first nation to recognize the independence of Latin American countries from the Spanish empire. This diplomatic move was part of the United States' broader strategy to limit European influence in the Western Hemisphere and was influenced by the Monroe Doctrine.
Step-by-step explanation:
The United States was the first nation to recognize the newly independent nations that had once made up the former Spanish empire in the Americas. The recognition by the United States was a strategic move to support the independence of the Latin American countries, driven in part by its Monroe Doctrine policy aimed at limiting European influence in the Western Hemisphere. This support for the revolutions was also seen as a way to encourage Republican values and promote commerce with these emerging nations.
Portugal and Spain were the early European colonizers of the Americas, with Spain being the most dominant in exploration and conquest during the 16th century. The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, was an agreement between Portugal and Spain that divided the New World territories between them. This treaty, as well as the Treaty of Zaragoza, was largely ignored by other European powers such as France, England, and the Netherlands, who established their own colonies and trading posts.