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(April 28, 1758- July 4, 1831) age 73 Democratic- Republican Time as President- 1817- 1825, 2 terms Vice President for both terms- Daniel D. Tompkins
 * __James Monroe__**

James Monroe administration included many positive and negative changes for the country. There were very few political issues in his presidential time period but there were other issues in the counrty such as the First Seminole War, America's first economic panic, and the Missouri Compromise. Madison dealt with some issues better than others but did well enough to keep the country together and be voted in for a second term. Due to the previously mentioned reasons, as well as many other acts of President Monroe, it seems fair to give him a well deserved grade of a A-.

As stated in President Monroe's inaugaral address, he had many ideas for the country. Not all of his goals were fully acomplished but he was able to complete many of them. Many of his goals dealt directly with land and foreign policy. Monroe wanted to secure Florida without going to war, prevent European intervention while restoring Spanish authority and remain friendly with Latin America while obtaining Florida. He achieved all these goals. Florida was obtained, Europe stoped bothering Spain, and good manners were extended to all counrtries. Besides foriegn matters, President Monroe also wanted to reduce controversy in understanding the Constitution, admitting Missouri, and fixing the Panic of 1819. He dealt with all these matters as well. He hired people to interpret the Constitution better as well as maintaining his positions on the issues. In order for him to admit missouri, he had to meet the needs of all people on the issue of slavery. To do this, he used the Missouri Compromise which made Missouri a slave state and Maine a free state. It also kept slavery from going above a line in the Louisianna Purchase. This compromise is probably what Monroe is most remembered for. His only goal, as stated in his speech, that was not fully met was to end the Panic of 1819. Although he cut taxes, unemployment continued, income decreased and so did the number of exports. During his time as president, he met all but one of his primary goals, this is pretty good considering how difficult they were.

After beating Madison and William Crawford in the race for president, Monroe's chose a Congress that consisted of John Quincy Adams (State), William H. Crawford (Treasury), John C. Calhoun (War), Benjamin Crowninshield and Smith Thompson (Navy), and Richard Rush and William Wirt (Attorney General). Most of these men consisted of the same party as Monroe, which was Democratic Republican. With these Cabinet members, Monroe and his Congress changed the number of stripes on the American flag in 1818 to thirteen to represent the number of original colonies. Another achievemnet of Monroe's Cabinet was that they made the 49th parallel the America- Canada border line. In 1819, Florida was given to America from Spain in corispondence to eliminating a $5 million dollar debt that Spain owed the United States. In 1820, the year Monroe was reelected, the Missouri Compromise was settled. It forbid slaves above the 36 degree 30 minute line. Monroe's final act of Congress was the promotion of the Monroe Doctrine on December 2, 1823. the Monroe Doctrine prevented Europeans from continuing to settle in the Americas.

There were two major events during the time of Monroe's presidency that had more positive affects than his other achievemnents. They were the Monroe Doctrine and the Missouri Compromise. The Monroe Doctrine was extremly important to America continuing to become an independant counrty. The document stopped European expansion in the Americas to continue. This also would become a longstanding statement in regard to the United States foriegn policy. As a result of the doctrine, European influence came to a hault and colonization slowed down. Also the Americas became more diverse overall. The Missouri Compromise allowed Missouri to become a state. It also made it a slave state but in return made Maine a free state. A final term of the Compromise was that slavery would not be allowed north of a line that was formed in the Louisianna Purchase. Along with Monroe's positive achievements, he also had minor negative actions. These decisions had no major effect on the Americas and are hardly remembered. James Monroe had a very positive presidency in the "Era of Good Feelings."

The Monroe Doctrine was created in 1819 and has had a major affect on all future presidents as well as citizens of the Americas and other countries. It was put into affect in order to prevent Europeans from continuing to populate the Americas and possibly retry to take it. Also, the doctrine sepparated the old world from the new. Spain, France, and Russia were some of the European countries influenced by the Monroe Doctrine. These countries did not want to give up their trade or market outlet and source for raw materials in the new world. The doctrine set the standards for future American foriegn policy. Although it has been edited over the years, the Monroe Doctrine still has importantance to the country of the United States to this day.

In conclusion, President James Monroe was a fantastic president who came into office at a good time in history. He improved the counrty in many ways such as his introduction to rules regaurding foriegn policy, his addition of multiple states to the US, and his compromise regaurding Missouri. Monroe's set of two terms are known as "The Era of Good Feelings" and that is due to his outstanding ability to improve the country in the eyes of most people. Monroe is one of the counrty's greatest presidents and deserves to be remembered as an A caliber president. He also should be remembered as a hero to this great country.

Bibliography

Bello, Jackie. James Monroe. 2004. James Monroe Foundation. February 25, 2010. [] Martin, Kelly. __James Monroe- Fifth President of the United States__. New York. 2010. About. February 23, 2010. []. Martin, Kelly. __Top Six Foreign Policy Doctrines__. New York. 2010. About. []. February 25, 2010. Summers, Robert. __James Monroe.__ May 16, 2009. POTUS. February 25, 2010. [] Tatum, Malcolm. __Who is James Monroe__? 2003-2010. Conjucture Coorperation. Wise Geek. February 25, 2010. []