Biography of James Monroe
The fifth president of the United States, James Monroeis known for his «Monroe Doctrine», which does not allow further European colonization in the Americas.
Born on April 28, 1758 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, James Monroe fought under George Washington and studied law under Thomas Jefferson.
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He was elected fifth president of the United States in 1817. He is remembered for the Monroe Doctrine, as well as for the expansion of the United States territory through the acquisition of Florida from Spain. Monroe, who died in 1831, was the last of the Founding Fathers.
Early life
James Monroe was the last American president of the «Virginia Dynasty,» so named because four of the first five presidents were from Virginia.
He was born on April 28, 1758 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, to Spence Monroe and Elizabeth Jones Monroe.
Spence was a moderately prosperous planter and carpenter whose family emigrated from Scotland in the mid-17th century. First tutored by his mother in his home, James attended Campbelltown Academy between 1769 and 1774, and was an excellent student.
As the eldest of several children, James was expected to inherit his father’s estate, but the events of 1774 turned his life in new directions.
His father died that year, and young James soon enrolled in the College of William and Mary of Virginia with the intention of studying law, but dropped out a few months later to fight in the American Revolution.
His first act of rebellion was to join several classmates and storm the British Royal Governor’s armory, escaping with weapons and supplies which they turned over to the Virginia militia.
He soon joined the Continental Army, becoming an officer in 1776, and was part of General George Washington’s army at the Battle of Trenton, where he was badly wounded.
Beginning of political career
After the war, James Monroe studied law under Thomas Jefferson, beginning a lifelong personal and professional relationship.
In 1782, he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, and from 1783 to 1786, he served in the Continental Congress, which met in New York.
While there, he met and courted Elizabeth Kortright, the daughter of a prosperous New York merchant.
The couple married on February 16, 1786, and moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia. Monroe proved not to be as successful as his father, and eventually sold his estate to practice law and enter politics.
After the Federal Convention of 1787, Monroe initially joined the Anti-Federalists in opposing ratification of the new Constitution because it lacked a bill of rights.
However, he and several key figures retained their reservations and vowed to push for change after the new government was established. Virginia narrowly ratified the Constitution, paving the way for a new government.
In 1790, James Monroe ran for a seat in the House of Representatives, but was defeated by James Madison.
Monroe was quickly elected by the Virginia legislature as a United States Senator, soon joining the Democratic-Republican faction led by Jefferson and Madison that opposed the federalist policies of Vice President John Adams and Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton.
Within a year of his election, Monroe became the leader of his party in the Senate.
United States Presidency
Following President Washington’s established custom of serving only two terms, Madison decided not to run for a third term, paving the way for James Monroe to be the Democratic-Republican nominee.
With little opposition from the now-defunct Federalist Party, Monroe became the fifth president of the United States.
He began his presidency with a tour of the northern states, during which a Boston newspaper described Monroe’s reception as an «Era of Good Feelings.»
The statement was more than a hype in the media. The United States could claim a victory in the War of 1812 due to the favorable peace treaty.
The nation’s economy was booming and the only opposition political party, the Federalists, was on life support.
During the first year of the Monroe administration, he continued his extension work to other parts of the country with successful tours in 1818 and 1819.
He also made some smart moves to fill his cabinet, appointing a southerner, John C. Calhoun, as secretary of war, and a northerner, John Quincy Adams, as secretary of state.
The Monroe Doctrine
After the Napoleonic Wars, which ended in 1815, many of the Spanish colonies in Latin America declared their independence.
Americans welcomed this action as a validation of their republican spirit.
Behind the scenes, President Monroe and Secretary of State Adams informed these new countries that the United States would support their efforts and open trade relations.
Several European powers threatened to form an alliance to help Spain recover its territories, but pressure from Great Britain, which also saw merit in the independent countries of Latin America, halted their efforts.
On December 2, 1823, Monroe formally announced to Congress what would become known as the «Monroe Doctrine.»
The policy stated that the Americas should be free from future European colonization, and that any interference with the independent countries of the Americas would be considered hostile to the United States.
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