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James Monroe Party: Democratic-Republican Time as president: 1817-1825 (two terms) Vice President: Daniel D. Tompkins Born: April 28, 1758 Died: July 4, 1831

James Monroe, during his presidency seemed to live up to the qualifications a President should obtain to be in office. Every situation Monroe was dealt, I believe, he handled very respectfully and thought of the American people while he was making them. Monroe’s principles involving the making of the Monroe Doctrine, his signing of the Missouri compromise and his outreach to other parts of the United States are why Monroe deserves an A for his time as president.

Monroe looked at nationalism as a very important quality for America to have. To achieve this goal Monroe made two good will tours in America where he was welcomed and loved by so many Americans. I believe by him making an effort to hear the people out he gained a lot of support as president. The decision made by Monroe dealing with the Missouri compromise also helped keep the union together which was a main focus for Monroe. He did not want to make restrictions on Missouri, he saw this as unconstitutional. Preserving the Union was very important to Monroe as well.

Congress’s relationship with Monroe was a very good one. He gave Congress a chance to speak their minds about issues like the Missouri Compromise, which was very different from some presidents in the past that seemed to dictate his Congressman around. The men Monroe assigned to Congress were some of the leading men in this time period, including John Quincy Adams, John C. Calhoun and William H. Crawford. Most of the Congress was made up of Democratic-Republicans, like himself.

A very positive accomplishment Monroe made as president was when he wrote the Monroe Doctrine. By writing this he acknowledged the separation of England’s political views and Americas. It warned England not to interfere with the western hemisphere. British interference in America would only hurt the country, not help it, which was Monroe’s way of thinking. Colonization or intervention was not allowed to happen in the western hemisphere under Monroe’s Doctrine. Although the Doctrine did not put a lasting impression on the British I believe it did a wonderful job at exciting the Americans and kept up Monroe’s goal at nationalism, which was important to him. The doctrine was a good way for Monroe to show Americans that America as a whole would not stand for the old world of England to interfere with them.

Monroe’s most negative decision as president seemed to when he sent General Andrew Jackson to the border of Florida. His means of this were to stop the Seminole Indians from helping the runaway slaves who were seeking refuge with them and their tribes. Jackson and his troops entered Florida with little instruction on what he was to do while he was there. I believe by Monroe sending Jackson into Florida he was risking war with Spain which was not a good decision on his part. When Congress got word of this many were not happy either because some believed Jackson acted without instruction when he took over a Spanish fort in Florida and killed two British citizens. Monroe could have done a better job when dealing with this situation as a president.

Monroe’s efforts to keep nationalism going was one of the most important, lasting influences he made while he was president. By Monroe making the deciosn to reach out to other states I believe he influenced other presidents to do the same in the future. The idea of him befriending other states that he might not have been welcomed in at first was certainly passed on later in time.

James Monroe’s job as a president, I believe, was a very positive experience for the American people. He was loved by his people and put them first in many of his decisions while in office. His contributions to America were mostly positive which is why I still believe he should receive a well deserved grade of an A while he was president.

Sources:

"American President: James Monroe." //Miller Center of Public Affairs//. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. . "James Monroe | The White House." //The White House//. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. . "Monroe Doctrine, 1823." //U.S. Department of State//. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. .