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Introduction

James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States, is often overlooked compared to names like George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson.

Monroe was born in Virginia on April 28, 1758. He was the first president to ride a steamboat. He went to the college of William and Mary in 1774 but dropped out the next year. He was governor of Virginia and was reelected four times for the position.

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson sent him to France to help settle the deals of the Louisiana Purchase. He was also sent to London and served as minister to Britain which ended in 1807. A few years later he was reelected as governor of Virginia. After that, he would serve as secretary of state until 1817.

Between 1814 and 1815 he was also Secretary of War, serving two positions at the time. When he ran for president, he had 183 out of the 217 votes from the Electoral College. For his second run, he ran unopposed. In 1816 he became a member of the American Colonization Society which was organized for the purpose of relocating slaves to West Africa.

Monroe helped shape many important ideas in the country’s early history, especially when it comes to foreign policy. One of his more important things he came up with was the Monroe Doctrine. He also expanded American Territory and was president during a time called the “Era of Good Feelings.”

However, like most of the early presidents, Monroe was still deeply tied to some of the not-so-good things in American history, such as slavery, Native American displacement, and political inequality. There were also growing sectional tensions that would eventually lead to the Civil War.

So who was James Monroe? What did he accomplish? Where did his presidency succeed? Where did it fail?

Part 1 — Early Life and Revolutionary Roots

James Monroe was born in Virginia in 1758. He came of age during the American Revolution, and he joined the Continental Army and fought under George Washington. He suffered a wound at the Battle of Trenton. This experience played a part in shaping his worldview.

He was part of a generation that wanted to create a new political experiment, which was a republic based on liberty and not monarchy.

Monroe was a law student of Thomas Jefferson and Jefferson was one of his political mentors. Monroe was strongly in favor of states’ rights and an agrarian (In favor of farming, agriculture, and ownership of land) democracy. He was also skeptical of centralized federal power.

Part 2 — The “Era of Good Feelings”

It was 1817 when James Monroe became president shortly after the War of 1812. During this time, the USA was going through a period of rising nationalism and political unity.

By this time, the Federalist Party had caved, leaving Monroe’s Democratic Republican Party dominant. This time in history is known as the “Era of Good Feelings.” With James Monroe as president, the nation experienced westward expansion, economic growth, reduced partisan conflict, and an increase in national confidence.

Another thing Monroe did was travel throughout the country, which helped create the image of a leader connected to ordinary Americans rather than distant higher-ups. When compared to some of the earlier presidents, James Monroe appears less ideological and more focused on unifying the nation.

Part 3 — The Monroe Doctrine

The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 was one of Monroe’s most well-known achievements. During that time, many countries of Latin America were gaining independence from the European colonial powers. There was fear that the European nations would attempt to regain control in the Western Hemisphere.

The Monroe Doctrine declared that any European offense in the United States would be viewed as a threat. In other words, the United States was no longer open to colonization.

At the time, the United States was relatively weak compared to European nations, so the Monroe Doctrine was more on the symbolic side than militarily enforceable. However, over time, the Doctrine became one of the biggest influences on American foreign policy.

Those who supported it viewed it as protecting independence in the West, resisting colonial domination, and asserting American sovereignty. However, critics took the stand that it was justification for American interventionism, imperial influence, and interference in Latin America. Even this achievement had long-term controversy.

Part 4 — Territorial Expansion and Florida

There was a lot of territorial growth during Monroe’s time in office. The United States acquired Florida from Spain in the Adams-Onís Treaty. Expansion was something that strengthened America geographically and economically.

However, westward expansion also had its own problems. Native American tribes faced displacement, broken treaties, and military pressure at an increased pace.

While the pattern had already begun before James Monroe, it continued during his presidency and afterward. While it may have brought increase to America, to the Native Americans, the expansion usually meant the loss of land, autonomy, and life.

Part 5 — Slavery and the Missouri Compromise

Slavery was one of the biggest issues facing James Monroe. The tension between the free states and slave states was increasing quickly. It got worse when it came to Missouri’s request to join the Union as a slave state. This led to the Missouri Compromise of 1820 where Missouri became a slave state and Maine became a free state. This was an attempt to limit slavery’s expansion geographically.

Critics of the Missouri Compromise argued that a only delayed a deeper moral and political crisis. Monroe was a slave owner and didn’t challenge the institution of slavery. This, of course, could be said of many of the Founding leaders.

Part 6 — Economic Problems and Criticism

Monroe’s presidency is usually remembered in a positive way, but there were also problems such as the Panic of 1819. This was America’s first major economic depression. This caused banks to fail, unemployment, falling land values, and overall financial instability. This had a negative impact on ordinary Americans.

There are some who argued that the Monroe’s administration acted too slowly and didn’t have effective economic solutions. This also brought out tensions between federal power, banking systems, and regional economic interest.

Part 7 — The Good and the Bad

So, how should we look at James Monroe’s presidency? On the good side Monroe helped stabilize the young country during a period of uncertainty. His accomplishments included: making the national identity stronger, reducing partisan conflict, expanding American territory, bringing forth the Monroe doctrine, and navigating postwar nationalism. Monroe is viewed by historians as a relatively modest and less personally divisive. His presidency showed a period of confidence and consolidation for America.

Then there is the bad side. Monroe’s presidency had contradictions such as supporting slavery, Native American displacement, expansionism, limited democratic inclusion, and a failure to confront deeper sectional tensions. The tensions around slavery would eventually lead to the Civil War.

In his later years, Monroe became opposed to slavery. He called slavery “evil” at the Virginia Constitutional Convention in 1829. He died on July 4th, 1831 making him the third president to die on Independence Day.

Part 8 — Monroe’s Historical Legacy

Historians rank James Monroe as being an above-average president. This is because he helped to preserve and stabilize the nation during a tough period. The influence of the Monroe Doctrine on foreign policy was huge. He helped shape America’s rise, but like many early leaders, he also benefited from systems that oppressed others.

Tag: Adams-Onís Treaty

James Monroe: The Good, The Bad, and the Legacy of America’s Fifth President