James Monroe: Early Years Born

James Monroe: Early Years Born on April 28, 1758, James Monroe was nurtured in Westmoreland County, Virginia by his Scottish father and his mother who was a descendant of Welsh. He had his early years of study, when he was 11 until he was 16, at the Campelltown Academy. After which, he pursued his study at the College of William and Mary (History Central Online, 2000). The Revolutionary War was happening during Monroe's study years at the College of William and Mary. Consequently, unfavorable effects were caused by the war to Monroe's study.

He left College of William and Mary in 1775 and joined the Williamsburg Militia. The purpose of which is to challenge the rulings and government of the British King. After Williamsburg, Monroe also served the war and courageously joined the Continental Army. In the Continental Army, he successfully served and fought in a number of battles namely Harlem Heights, White Plains, Trenton, Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth (Monroe Foundation Online).

Because of his bravery and intelligence, Monroe's career in the army lead him to success, giving him and rising from the rank of Lieutenant to Lieutenant Colonel. After serving the Revolutionary War, Monroe continued his study. He took up law and was guided by Thomas Jefferson as his professor in 1780 to 1782. Thomas Jefferson had been an inspiration to Monroe, learning the principles of true freedom. Such things that he learned from Jefferson became the solid ground to Monroe's years of political career.

Monroe and the Beginning of his Political Career Similar to his success in the army, Monroe gradually achieved success in the political arena. He became a member of the Confederation Congress for three years, 1783-1786. It was within these years, while serving as a delegate, where he met his wife Elizabeth Kortright. After being married, the couple moved to Fredericksburg Virginia where James pursued to practice law. In 1990, he then became among the senators of the United States, representing Virginia.

Monroe served as an anti-Federalist together with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. After serving his term in the senate, in 1794, Monroe was appointed by President Washington as a Minister to France in which he had the opportunity of serving two terms. Being an anti-Federalist and a supporter of the French cause, Monroe was against the Jay Treaty. This angered the Federalist and became the reason for his recall by Washington (American President Online, 2003).

After his political career as a Minister to France, Monroe then served three terms as a governor of Virginia. His great skills in politics and his experience as a Minister to France paved the way for him to return to France and play an important role to the United States. In 1803, he was appointed by President Thomas Jefferson to help Minister to France Robert Livingston in the negotiation of the Louisiana Purchase.

After which, he again became a representative of the United States in a European country, as a Minister to Great Britain from 1803 to 1807. However, Monroe did not succeed in his some of his objectives as a Minister to Great Britain because he was not able to convince Great Britain to loosen some of their policies against the United States. He found that such policies were the barriers in having good U.S.-Britain relationship.

In 1808, Monroe turned down an encouragement to him by the Republicans to challenge James Madison in the Presidential election. In 1811, he again became the Governor of Virginia but only for a short period of time because President Madison called him for Washington. As a Secretary of State was the next path to Monroe's political career with whom President Madison appointed him in 1811. Monroe tried to prevent the war with Great Britain but was unable to do so because of unavoidable reasons.

Monroe became the intelligence of the war and later acquired the position Secretary of War while maintaining his responsibilities as a Secretary of State (History Central Online, 2000). Monroe as a President of the United States Monroe won the 1816 presidential election because of his anti-Federalist actions and with the support of President Madison. He had good strategic choices for his Cabinet members, favoring Southerners, Northerners, and Westerners for his Cabinet.

However, due to a contradiction from Henry Clay, Monroe was not able to elect a Westerner in his Cabinet (Biography of James Monroe). Monroe's presidency was termed as an "era of good feeling" because of political talent and skills. However, everything started to turn the opposite in the following years of his term. Economic depression occurred and Monroe was unable to provide strong action to resolve his country's economic problems. Civil War also soon followed.

This was undoubtedly worsened by Monroe's signing of the Missouri Compromise which states that the Missouri is a slave state and Maine as a free one (History Central Online). Although Monroe was known to be an advocate of the bill of rights, he did not take a stand to defend Missouri. This is one of the weaknesses that the people saw in him as a President.

Despite of the weaknesses that Monroe had shown in alleviating the economy of his country, as well as in defending the rights of the people of Missouri, he became successful in allowing good U.S. relationship with foreign countries. Most of the South American states were freed from the regime of Spain. and, to ensure that the independence will remain to the U.S. states, he created a doctrine that states warnings to European nations from involving in the U.S. internal affairs (History Central Online).

Such doctrine was called the Monroe Doctrine. The good.