Denisse+M.

__James Monroe__ __Walk Through__ __America__ __Speech__ “Turn his soul wrong side outward and there is not a speck on it,” Thomas Jefferson said about me. Hi, I’m James Monroe. You may not have heard about me since I’m not as famous as George Washington. Guess I’ll have to start at the beginning.

I was born in Westmoreland, Virginia April 28, 1759. My father was Spence Monroe (1727-1774). He was a Scottish Colonel and a planter. My mother was Elizabeth Jones Monroe (1730-1774). She too died before I was grown. I was the eldest of 4 boys and 1 girl. My siblings were Elizabeth Monroe Buckner, Spence Monroe, Andrew Monroe and Joseph Monroe. When our parents passed away, we became wards of our uncle, Joseph Jones (mother’s brother). He was a role model to me when I was young.

My education was important. I had studied with a tutor until I was 12. I then went to Parson Campbell Town Academy until I was 16. After that, I went to College of William and Mary. I practiced law in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Later, I dropped out of school when they called recruits for the Continental Army. I never got a degree. Years later, I studied under Thomas Jefferson.

When I was in the Continental Army, wars and battles took place. I fought in the American Revolution. By then my rank was a lieutenant. I fought in Monmouth by the time I was a major. One time I got shot while leading a charge on a cannon in the Battle of Trenton. My left shoulder took three months to heal. George Washington (when he was a war leader) promoted me after my injury. In the War of 1812, I was the temporary Secretary of War to James Madison.

Now for Family Businesses. My wife was Elizabeth Kortright (1768-1830). She was the daughter of Lawrence Kortright (a local merchant). Now for my children. My eldest was my daughter, Eliza Monroe Hay (1786-1835). Eliza was the white House Host House when her mother was ill. My second was my son, Spence Monroe (1799-1801). Unfortunately, he died early and is not remembered frequently. My youngest was Maria Hester Monroe Gouverneur (1803-1850). She had the first wedding at the White House.

My career in politics was plentiful. When I was a lawyer, I was elected for the Congress of Confederation. I was also in the Virginia legislature. When they proposed to ratify the Constitution, I declined, but when the bill passed I supported it. When George Washington was president, he assigned me as Minister of France 1794-96. While I was in France, I helped negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. I ran for President in 1808 but lost to Madison. Although I lost he appointed me his Secretary of State.

Some of the time during my presidency was called the Era of Good Feelings. The Americans had just won the war of 1812 and they were happy. My nicknames were “The Last Cocked Hat” and “The Era of Good Feelings President.” My political party was Democratic-Republican. When I came into office, I revived the America Tour. It’s basically taking a tour of America and meeting the people. It was first done by George Washington. I did the tour three times but the first was the most successful. I went north, west, and south. Now for my cabinet. My vice president was Daniel D. Tompkins. John C. Calhoun my Secretary of War. My Secretary of State was John Quincy Adams. I declared the Missouri Compromise during my presidency. That declared Missouri a slave stated while declaring Maine and the States above Missouri free. I also faced the panic of 1819. That was the first financial crisis in America and the end of the Era of Good Feelings. I personally thought it was a sign of a growing and strengthening economy. Other facts about me and my presidency are that I was the first president to go on a steamship. Also, I was the only president to have a foreign capital city named after them. I was the last of the Virginia Dynasty. The Virginia Dynasty was the three presidents who served from 1801-1825. They were Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. They were all friends and from Virginia. Lastly, I declared the Monroe Doctrine (what I’m most remembered for).

I proclaimed the Monroe Doctrine in 1823. It warned Europe not to interfere with the Americas. That included foreign attack. Europe now couldn’t colonize or extend their colonial land. Europe ignored it until the 1890’s. That’s when America had a stronger military. The Monroe Doctrine was created for two reasons. The first was that Russia was establishing a colony. The second was that European nations were allying themselves to Spain to win back colonies they had lost. John Quincy Adams wrote most of it. It was his suggestion to me to proclaim it. I helped him on some of it.

Now for the paragraph of death and not just mine. Elizabeth Kortright Monroe died in 1830. Since I was too old to take up politics again, I moved to New York to see Maria and her husband. Eliza came also. It was a year later there that James Monroe died. He passed away on July 4th, 1831 3:30 pm. He died of heart failure and was at the house of his son-in-law Samuel Laurence Gouverneur and Maria Hester Monroe Gouverneur. His remains were moved to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. Since then, he has been remembered as friendly, quiet, and polite with a keen sense of honor.