James Monroe: The Era of Good Feelings

By 50minutes

Keen to learn but short on time? Get to grips with the life of James Monroe in next to no time with this concise guide.

50Minutes.com provides a clear and engaging analysis of the life and presidency of James Monroe. In 1817, Monroe was sworn in as the fifth President of the United States, and was the last who had fought in the War of Independence. Although his presidency was known as the “Era of Good Feelings” due to the relative political unity of the period, it was nonetheless a time of significant change and was marked by simmering tensions between the slaveholding South and abolitionist North.

In just 50 minutes you will:
• Learn about Monroe’s career before becoming president, include his heroism during the American Revolutionary War and his diplomatic posts in France and Britain
• Understand the key events of his presidency, in particular the Missouri Compromise, the Monroe Doctrine and the First Seminole War
• Evaluate Monroe’s legacy and the lasting impact of the Monroe Doctrine on US foreign policy

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• Language: English
• Publisher: 50Minutes.com
• Release date: Apr 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9782806290236

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Key information

Born: 28 April 1758 in Westmoreland County, Virginia.

Died: 4 July 1831 in New York.

Election dates:

4 December 1816

6 December 1820.

Length of presidency: eight years.

Main achievements:

the Missouri Compromise (1820)

the Monroe Doctrine (1823).

Introduction

James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States of America. He had two consecutive terms in the White House, between 1817 and 1825. Having been ambassador, Senator and Secretary of State before attaining the highest office in the country, Monroe became known above all for his diplomatic talents, as well as the Missouri Compromise and the doctrine that bears his name.

The period spanning his two terms has been described as the Era of Good Feelings due to the relative political unity and prosperity that followed the two wars between the USA and Great Britain (the American War of Independence, also known as the American Revolutionary War, from 1775 to 1783, and the War of 1812 from 1812 to 1815). The president made the most of this favourable context to expand American territory towards the south and the west. The implementation of the Monroe Doctrine, which continues to govern American foreign policy even today, gave the country a leading place on the international political stage during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

On the national level, however, the president had to deal with fierce tensions between the abolitionist North and the slaveholding South. He managed to soothe these tensions for a few years thanks to the Missouri