James Monroe: Pragmatic Leader

President from March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1825

What I read:

The Last Founding Father by Harlow Giles Unger

Age at inauguration: 58

Political Party: Democratic-Republican

Age at death: 83. Died on July 4^th, 5 years after Jefferson and Adams.

Cause of Death: Though never diagnosed, he had all the symptoms of tuberculosis.

Health & Appearance: He stood 6’0” and had blue-grey eyes and brown hair. He had broad shoulders and a strong frame. Monroe nearly died at the Battle of Trenton after a musket ball struck his chest and imbedded in his arm opening an artery. He was saved by a doctor sticking his finger in the hole to stop the bleeding. The musket ball was never found so it stayed imbedded in his shoulder. In 1785, he contracted malaria and had several flare-ups over the course of his life. The stress of the Presidency took a lot out of him and he left looking much older than his 64 years. 

Pre-Presidency: He came from yet another wealthy farming family. He was another plantation owner, slave owner, and wealthy Virginian--4 of the first 5 Presidents were from Virginia and slave owners. While he was in his teens, his parents died and he was subsequently raised by his maternal uncle. He had a formal education. While he was at William and Mary college he, along with fellow students, raided the armory of the English Governor, securing weapons for the patriot army.  He fought with distinction in several battles, and as stated above, nearly lost his life. As Washington's Minister to France, Madison obtained the freedom of Thomas Paine (author of ‘Common Sense’) who then lived with him for a while. He served as Secretary of State for the Madison Presidency, and for three years served as both Secretary of State and Secretary of War, something no other person has done for that length of time. Under Jefferson he negotiated the Louisiana Purchase and is responsible for the scope of the final deal.

Major accomplishments: The last Founding Father to become President was James Monroe. The Monroe presidency was “The Age of Good Feelings” as political parties nearly disappeared. Monroe’s cabinet was divided evenly between members of different parties. This lead to the collapse of the Federalist party. On behalf of the U.S., he signed the treaty of 1818, bringing peace with Britain and Canada. This treaty gained full possession of Florida. Monroe recognized the emerging nations of South America and moved to start an American Congress of Nations. The United States expanded to the Pacific Ocean during his presidency. 

On March 6, 1820, President James Monroe signed the Missouri Compromise, which admitted Maine and part of northern Massachusetts as a free state, admitted Missouri as a slave state, and  restricted slavery to territories south of the latitude 36º30' north. Although Monroe didn't advocate limiting slavery, he valued the integrity of the Union and did not want it to come apart. Pragmatic progress for the time, but the Missouri Compromise only delayed the inevitable.

Monroe signed the Military Establishment Act which reduced the Army's manpower by 40 percent to 6,126 men. The move reflected a shift in national priorities toward commerce and negotiation, and away from intimidation, as the primary tool of foreign policy.

The Monroe Doctrine was, and still is, one of the greatest declarations of any president. He basically said to the rest of the world, “If you threaten anyone in the Americas, you threaten the United States.” 

Are you kidding me? During the Revolutionary War, he almost bled to death after receiving a bullet wound that went through his chest and neck.

In his 1820 election, he ran unopposed (the only other President besides Washington to do so) and he was one elector short of winning every vote. The one vote was for John Quincy Adams. 

The capital city of Liberia is named after James Monroe.

What I learned: The last Founding Father to serve as President was a war hero. He served during a golden age of non-partisan politics. A time that has never happened again. He voted against ratification of the Constitution because he wanted direct voting participation and a stronger Bill of Rights. 

His footprint on our nation is as heavy as any president before him, though beyond the Monroe Doctrine, most people know very little about him.

PRECEDED BY: James Madison

SUCCEEDED BY: John Quincy Adams