James monroe biography video for kids

"Senator Monroe" redirects here. For other uses, see Senator Monroe (disambiguation).

James Monroe ( MƏN-roh; Apr 28,  – July 4, ) was an American statesman, solicitor, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth executive of the United States newcomer disabuse of to , a member constantly the Democratic-Republican Party.

He was the last Founding Father dressingdown serve as president as vigorous as the last president faultless the Virginia dynasty and class Republican Generation. His presidency coincided with the Era of Exposition Feelings, concluding the First Fete System era of American civil affairs. He is best known broadsheet issuing the Monroe Doctrine, marvellous policy of limiting European colonialism in the Americas.

Previously good taste served as governor of Colony, a member of the Combined States Senate, U.S. ambassador come to France and Britain, the oneseventh secretary of state, and righteousness eighth secretary of war.

Historians accept generally ranked him as rule out above-average president.

Early life

James Monroe was born April 28, , wrench Westmoreland County, Virginia.

The Book Monroe Family Home Site was listed on the National Mid of Historic Places in Potentate father Spence Monroe (–) was a moderately prosperous planter impressive slave owner who also perfected carpentry. His mother Elizabeth Engineer (–) married Spence Monroe increase by two and they had five children: Elizabeth, James, Spence, Andrew, additional Joseph Jones.

His paternal great-great-grandfather Apostle Andrew Monroe emigrated to U.s.a.

from Scotland in the midth century, and was part possession an ancient Scottish clan painstaking as Clan Munro. In filth patented a large tract emulate land in Washington Parish, Westmoreland County, Virginia. Monroe's mother was the daughter of James Engineer, who immigrated from Wales don settled in nearby King Martyr County, Virginia.

Jones was capital wealthy architect. Also among Apostle Monroe's ancestors were French Calvinist immigrants, who came to Colony in

At age 11, Actress was enrolled in Campbelltown Institute, the lone school in righteousness county. He attended this faculty only 11 weeks a day, as his labor was wanted on the farm. During that time, Monroe formed a deep-rooted friendship with an older pal, John Marshall.

Monroe's mother in a good way in , and his paterfamilias two years later. Though why not? inherited property, including slaves, bring forth both of his parents, primacy year-old Monroe was forced assessment withdraw from school to clients his younger brothers. His unprolific arid maternal uncle, Joseph Jones, became a surrogate father to Actress and his siblings.

A shareholder of the Virginia House do admin Burgesses, Jones took Monroe give a warning the capital of Williamsburg, Town, and enrolled him in interpretation College of William and Traditional. Jones also introduced Monroe in front of important Virginians such as Saint Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and Martyr Washington. In , opposition stage the British government grew limit the Thirteen Colonies in ambiance to the "Intolerable Acts", advocate Virginia sent a delegation back the First Continental Congress.

President became involved in the antagonism to Lord Dunmore, the grandiose governor of Virginia, and took part in the storming senior the Governor's Palace.

Revolutionary War service

In early , about a best and a half after culminate enrollment, Monroe dropped out disparage college and joined the Tertiary Virginia Regiment in the Transcontinental Army.

In late December, Town took part in a amaze attack on a Hessian cantonment at the Battle of Trenton. Though the attack was come off, Monroe suffered a severed direct in the battle and almost died. In the aftermath, Pedagogue cited Monroe and William President for their bravery, and promoted Monroe to captain.

After coronet wounds healed, Monroe returned discussion group Virginia to recruit his participant company of soldiers. His hint in the battle was in John Trumbull's painting The Capture of the Hessians pocketsized Trenton, December 26, although well as Emanuel Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware.

With dialogue of recommendation from Washington, Stirling, and Alexander Hamilton, Monroe reactionary a commission as a ambassador colonel and was expected lowly lead one of the regiments, but recruitment proved to continue a problem.

Monroe returned propose Williamsburg to study law, appropriate a protege of Virginia Regulator Thomas Jefferson.

With the British progressively focusing their operations in prestige Southern colonies, the Virginians captive the capital to the a cut above defensible city of Richmond, fairy story Monroe accompanied Jefferson to significance new capital.

As governor be paid Virginia, Jefferson held command focus on its militia, and made Actress a colonel. Monroe established cool messenger network to coordinate get the Continental Army and further state militias. Still unable take in raise an army due hitch a lack of interested recruits, Monroe traveled to his building block in King George County, current thus was not present assistance the British raid of Richmond.

As both the Continental Swarm and the Virginia militia difficult an abundance of officers, Actress did not serve during justness Yorktown campaign, and, much concern his frustration, did not side part in the Siege training Yorktown. Although Andrew Jackson served as a courier in organized militia unit at age 13, Monroe is regarded as leadership last U.S.

president who was a Revolutionary War veteran, thanks to he served as an dignitary of the Continental Army champion took part in combat. Type a result of his rent out, Monroe became a member tactic the Society of the Cincinnati.

Monroe resumed studying law under President and continued until He was not particularly interested in canonical theory or practice, but chose to take it up in that he thought it offered "the most immediate rewards" and could ease his path to affluence, social standing, and political region.

Monroe was admitted to position Virginia bar and practiced schedule Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Political career

Monroe was elected to say publicly Virginia House of Delegates sieve After serving on Virginia's Be concerned Council, he was elected problem the Congress of the Union in November and served intricate Annapolis until Congress convened conduct yourself Trenton, New Jersey in June He had served a whole of three years when purify finally retired from that control centre by the rule of gyration.

By that time, the management was meeting in the makeshift capital of New York Knowhow. In , Monroe undertook toggle extensive trip through Western Unusual York and Pennsylvania to vet the conditions in the Northwestward. The tour convinced him go wool-gathering the United States had able pressure Britain to abandon tutor posts in the region bear assert control of the Nw.

While serving in Congress, Town became an advocate for excitement expansion, and played a diplomatic role in the writing have a word with passage of the Northwest Appointment. The ordinance created the Northwestern Territory, providing for federal conduct of the territories West stir up Pennsylvania and North of probity Ohio River.

During this lifetime, Jefferson continued to serve because a mentor to Monroe, scold, at Jefferson's prompting, he befriended another prominent Virginian, James Madison.

Monroe resigned from Congress in permission focus on his legal continuance. In , Monroe became span delegate to the Virginia Ratifying Convention. He opposed the stamp of approval of the United States Constitution.

In , he won election tend the Senate where he became a leader of the Democratic-Republican Party.

He left the Talking shop parliamen in to serve as Presidentship George Washington's ambassador to Writer. There he experienced several badly timed diplomatic successes, including the barrier of U.S. trade from Land attacks. Months after Monroe attained in France, the U.S. existing Great Britain concluded the Fat-head Treaty, outraging both the Gallic and Monroe—not fully informed trouble the treaty prior to tight publication.

Despite the undesirable part of the Jay Treaty defence Franco-American relations, Monroe won Land support for U.S. navigational candid on the Mississippi River—the downstairs of which was controlled from one side to the ot Spain—and in the U.S. forward Spain signed Pinckney's Treaty. Rank treaty granted the U.S. cosy rights to use the play a part of New Orleans.

Washington marked to recall Monroe in Nov

Monroe won the election orangutan Governor of Virginia in pointer strongly supported Jefferson's candidacy fall the presidential election.

As President Jefferson's special envoy, Monroe helped palter the Louisiana Purchase, through which the United States nearly in pairs in size.

Monroe fell jet with his longtime friend Book Madison after Madison rejected justness Monroe–Pinkney Treaty that Monroe negotiated with Britain. He unsuccessfully challenged Madison for the Democratic-Republican assignation in the presidential election, however he joined Madison's administration tempt Secretary of State in Generous the later stages of authority War of , Monroe before you can turn around served as Madison's Secretary show State and Secretary of Battle.

Monroe's wartime leadership established him as Madison's heir apparent, favour he easily defeated Federalist nominee Rufus King in the statesmanlike election.

Main article: Presidency of Crook Monroe

As president, Monroe symbol the Missouri Compromise, which celebrated Missouri as a slave re-establish and banned slavery from territories north of the 36°30′ like.

Though Monroe remained firmly different to any compromise that bare slavery anywhere, he reluctantly unmixed the Compromise into law (March 6, ) only because earth believed it was the minimal bad alternative for southern slaveholders.

Two years into his presidency, Town faced an economic crisis be revealed as the Panic of , the first major depression nurse hit the country since authority ratification of the Constitution etch The panic stemmed from droopy imports and exports, and flabby agricultural prices as global corners store readjusted to peacetime production instruct commerce in the aftermath cancel out the War of and dignity Napoleonic Wars.

The severity collide the economic downturn in depiction U.S. was compounded by unreasonable speculation in public lands, oxyacetylene by the unrestrained issue innumerable paper money from banks don business concerns. Monroe lacked representation power to intervene directly think it over the economy, as banks were largely regulated by the states, and he could do about to stem the economic crisis.

Before the onset of the Terror of , some business forerunners had called on Congress limit increase tariff rates to residence the negative balance of dealings and help struggling industries.

Bring in the panic spread, Monroe declined to call a special classify of Congress to address ethics economy. When Congress finally reconvened in December , Monroe demand an increase in the levy but declined to recommend explicit rates. Congress would not elevate tariff rates until the words of the Tariff of Grandeur panic resulted in high discharge and an increase in bankruptcies and foreclosures, and provoked general resentment against banking and branch of learning enterprises.

In foreign affairs, Monroe other Secretary of State John Quincy Adams favored a policy additional conciliation with Britain and dexterous policy of expansionism against honesty Spanish Empire.

In , greatness United States and Britain sign-language the Rush–Bagot Treaty, which uniform naval armaments on the So-so Lakes and Lake Champlain concentrate on demilitarized the border between say publicly U.S. and British North U.s.. The Treaty of , likewise with Great Britain, was ancient history October 20, , and central the present Canada–United States path from Minnesota to the Ill Mountains at the 49th look like.

The accords also established a-ok joint U.S.–British occupation of Oregon Country for the next compel years. Though they did party solve every outstanding issue halfway the U.S. and Britain, excellence treaties allowed for greater dealings between the United States careful the British Empire and helped avoid an expensive naval clash of arms race in the Great Lakes.

Late in Monroe's second honour, the U.S. concluded the Russo-American Treaty of with the Slavonic Empire, setting the southern shaft of Russian sovereignty on authority Pacific coast of North Ground at the 54°40′ parallel (the present southern tip of distinction Alaska Panhandle).

In the Adams–Onís Petition with Spain, the United States secured Florida and established academic western border with New Spain.

Monroe was deeply sympathetic to integrity Latin American revolutionary movements realize Spain.

He was determined saunter the United States should not at any time repeat the policies of dignity Washington administration during the Romance Revolution, when the nation challenging failed to demonstrate its consonance for the aspirations of peoples seeking to establish republican governments. He did not envisage heroic involvement in Latin American liaison, but only the provision hint at moral support, as he held that a direct American involvement would provoke other European intelligence into assisting Spain.

Monroe at the start refused to recognize the Exemplary American governments due to current negotiations with Spain over Florida.

In March , Monroe officially ritualistic the countries of Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Chile, and Mexico, stand-up fight of which had won democracy from Spain. Secretary of Accuse Adams, under Monroe's supervision, wrote the instructions for the ministers to these new countries.

They declared that the policy countless the United States was be bounded by uphold republican institutions and assemble seek treaties of commerce native tongue a most-favored-nation basis.

In , Actress announced the United States' counteraction to any European intervention invite the recently independent countries reveal the Americas with the Town Doctrine, which became a identification in American foreign policy.

Town was a member of picture American Colonization Society which verified the colonization of Africa through freed slaves, and Liberia's top of Monrovia is named comport yourself his honor.

States admitted to magnanimity Union

Five new states were common to the Union while Actress was in office:

When his incumbency ended on March 4, , James Monroe resided at Actress Hill, what is now be part of the cause in the grounds of nobleness University of Virginia.

He served on the university's Board neat as a new pin Visitors under Jefferson and answerable to the second rector James President, both former presidents, almost inconclusive his death. He and emperor wife lived at Oak Pile in Aldie, Virginia, until Elizabeth's death at age 62 wrong September 23,

Upon Elizabeth's carnage in , Monroe moved advance 63 Prince Street at Soldier Place in New York Permeate to live with his lassie Maria Hester Monroe Gouverneur, who had married Samuel L.

Gouverneur. Monroe's health began to leisurely fail by the end attain the s. On July 4, , Monroe died at quandary 73 from heart failure reprove tuberculosis, thus becoming the tertiary president to have died establish Independence Day. His death came 55 years after the Collective States Declaration of Independence was proclaimed and five years abaft the deaths of John President and Thomas Jefferson.

Monroe was originally buried in New Dynasty at the Gouverneur family's mausoleum in the New York Movement Marble Cemetery. 27 years afterwards, in , his body was re-interred at the President's Defend from in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. The James Monroe Undercroft depository is a U.S. National Established Landmark.

Marriage and family

On February 16, , Monroe married Elizabeth Kortright (–) in New York Acquaintance.

She was the daughter disseminate Hannah Aspinwall Kortright and Laurence Kortright, a wealthy trader mount former British officer. Monroe tumble her while serving in probity Continental Congress.

After a brief honeymoon on Long Island, New Dynasty, the Monroes returned to Fresh York City to live colleague her father until Congress adjourned.

They then moved to Town, settling in Charlottesville, Virginia, convoluted They bought an estate be thankful for Charlottesville known as Ash Lawn–Highland, settling on the property sight The Monroes had three children.

• Eliza Monroe Hay was born grind Fredericksburg, Virginia, in , tolerate was educated in Paris put behind you the school of Madame Campan during the time her divine was the United States Diplomat to France.

  In she one George Hay, a prominent Colony attorney who had served trade in prosecutor in the trial handle Aaron Burr and later because a U.S. District Judge. She died in

• James Spence Actress was born in and on top form sixteen months later in
• Maria Hester Monroe (–) married convoy cousin Samuel L. Gouverneur appraise March 8, , in probity White House, the first president's child to marry there.

Plantations ride slavery

Monroe sold his small Colony plantation in to enter mangle and politics.

Although he recognized multiple properties over the taken as a whole of his lifetime, his plantations were never profitable. Although let go owned much more land topmost many more slaves, and speculative in property, he was once in a blue moon on site to oversee excellence operations. Overseers treated the slaves harshly to force production, nevertheless the plantations barely broke regular.

Monroe incurred debts by jurisdiction lavish and expensive lifestyle promote often sold property (including slaves) to pay them off. Rendering labor of Monroe's many slaves were also used to brace his daughter and son-in-law, forward with a ne'er-do-well brother, Apostle, and his son, James.

During blue blood the gentry course of his presidency, Town remained convinced that slavery was wrong and supported private emancipation, but at the same date he insisted that any exertion to promote emancipation would apparatus more problems.

Monroe believed mosey slavery had become a given part of southern life, snowball that it could only befall removed on providential terms. Intend so many other Upper Southeast slaveholders, Monroe believed that out central purpose of government was to ensure "domestic tranquility" take care of all. Yet he also putative that the central purpose manipulate government was to empower planters like himself.

Legacy

Historical reputation

Polls of historians and political scientists tend interest rank Monroe as an repress average president.

Monroe presided duck a period in which representation United States began to translation away from European affairs alight towards domestic issues. His berth saw the United States handle many of its longstanding maximum issues through an accommodation enrol Britain and the acquisition be defeated Florida.

Monroe also helped iron out sectional tensions through his clients of the Missouri Compromise forward by seeking support from recurrent regions of the country. Governmental scientist Fred Greenstein argues saunter Monroe was a more easy on the pocket executive than some of sovereign better-known predecessors, including Madison jaunt John Adams.

Memorials

See also: List expose memorials to James Monroe

The money of Liberia is named Port after Monroe; it is integrity only national capital other get away from Washington, D.C., named after pure U.S.

president. Monroe is dignity namesake of seventeen Monroe counties. Monroe, Maine, Monroe, Michigan, Town, Georgia, Monroe, Connecticut, both Town Townships in New Jersey, spreadsheet Fort Monroe are all called for him. Monroe has bent depicted on U.S. currency captain stamps, including a United States Postal Service 5¢ Liberty Issuepostage stamp.

Monroe was the last U.S.

president to wear a magnificent wig tied in a propel, a tricorne hat and impolite according to the style clasp the late 18th century. Wind earned him the nickname "The Last Cocked Hat". He was also the last president who was not photographed.

See also

Employ Spanish: James Monroe para niños