The 5th U.S. President

James Monroe

Born: April 28, 1758

Died: July 4, 1831     

Term in Office: 1817-1825

Didn't know a lot about this guy until I started researching his life for these few lines here. Of course, that's not saying a lot... I have pretty sketchy knowledge of most of these dudes. 

Here's some stuff on James Monroe. He fought in the Revolution and served in Washington's administration as Minister to France, a post that got him appointed by Thomas Jefferson during his administration as a special envoy to negotiate the purchase of the Port of New Orleans. During those negotiations he found Napoleon Bonaparte ready to dispose of the entire Louisiana Territory. This being the early years of the 19th century, and trans-Atlantic communication being restricted to paper documents carried by ship, Monroe felt that he was hampered by time and signed for the purchase himself.

He's probably best known for the Doctrine that bears his name, wherein as President he declared an end to all European colonization of the Americas, in effect leaving it to the U.S. to expand to its heart's content. Through conflict with the Spanish and the native Seminole Nation for example, he brought the territory of Florida into our fold. He also brought five states into the Union during his time in office: Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Maine, and Missouri.

During the years he was in the Oval Office, the hot topic of slavery played a large part in admitting new states to fold. Northern states had banned slavery, but it was huge, economically, in the South. With each new state, debate raged over its admission as free or slave. Monroe favored abolition (though, as seen in regard to many "free-thinkers," deeds and words often don't match, and Monroe owned as many as 250 slaves and freed only one during his lifetime), but he thought the Federal government had no authority to ban the practice for individual states.

So, during his term, the Missouri Compromise came into being, bringing one slave state in for every free state and outlawing slavery other areas in the Louisiana Territory north of Missouri's southern border. Missouri joined the Union as a slave state at the same time as free state Maine.

Monroe did not agree with the Compromise but signed it in order to avoid a war between the states, kicking the proverbial can down the road for a few decades.

Peace to all, and why put off for tomorrow what you can take care of today?

Thanks to: www.highland.org and www.history.com for info in this little blurb.