Until the 1900s, the united states tried to stay out of foreign wars and mostly avoided working with other countries except for trading. which term best fits this description of united states foreign policy prior to the 20th century?

Until the 1900s, the United States tried to stay out of foreign wars and mostly avoided working with other countries except for trading. This policy was called isolationism.

Explanation:

The Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States did not know what isolationism was: most settlers knew of no life other than that existing in nationalist Europe and willingly accepted both the protection and the complications of being a British colony. Thomas Paine is generally recognized as the instigator of early isolationist ideas in American diplomatic circles; his work Common Sense contains many arguments in favor of avoiding alliances. These ideas introduced by Paine became so relevant that Congress fought against the formation of an alliance with France and only agreed to forge it when it became evident that the war of independence could not be won in any other way.

The farewell speech of George Washington puts an isolationist tone that would not fade away: "Our great rule with respect to foreign nations is in expanding our commercial relations, to have as little political connection with them as possible. priority interests, of which we do not share any, or very few.Europeans are mired in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially alien to our concerns. Therefore, it is imprudent for us to be artificially implicated in the ins and outs of his politics, or in alliances and breaks between them".

President Thomas Jefferson reaffirmed the fiery isolationism of the young country in his opening speech: "peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, without forging alliances with any".

The isolationist idea was still present in 1823 when President James Monroe articulated what would be known as the Monroe Doctrine: "In wars between Europeans, in matters that only concern them, we have never participated, because it does not correspond to our policy. Only when our rights are damaged or seriously threatened will it be when we will resent our wounds and make preparations for our defense".

The United States managed to maintain a state of political isolation throughout the 19th century and the first part of the 20th. Few nations have been able to maintain such a position for such a long period of time. Historians argue that it is largely due to geographical reasons, given the physical distance between Europe and the USA.

a stronger central government  

its what they are