James Monroe: Fifth President Of US

758 Words4 Pages

"The best form of government is that which is most likely to prevent the greatest sum of evil." This quote was stated by James Monroe, the fifth President of United States. It showed what James Monroe saw as the ideal government; one that would “prevent the greatest sum of evil.” He implied that the best quality of good government was protection for its citizens, rather than ruling over them. It also proved that James Monroe had a sense righteousness, since he used the word like “evil” to describe anything that would harm his citizens. James Monroe was born on April 28, 1759, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. As the son of a prosperous planter, he was able to receive proper education. Unfortunately, his parents passed away during his mid-teens, leaving him and his siblings under the care of their uncle. After graduating the college of William and Mary, he went on to become an officer in the Continental Army. As a symbol of his …show more content…

The North wanted it to be a free state while the South wanted it to be a slave state. Monroe settled this by signing the Missouri Compromise, which split the country into two parts: the North (slave-free states) and South (slave states). It allowed Missouri to join the union, while Maine would be declared as a free state. James Monroe was praised for his foreign policy, the Monroe Doctrine. Which stated that “the American continents. . .are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers." Issued on December 2, 1823, it became the foundation for future U.S. foreign policies. His presidency was also known as “the Era of Good Feelings,” signifying an overall good impression from the public. Even though Monroe was a decent president, he was inevitably compared to the previous Virginia Dynasty Presidents. He didn’t live up to the high standards his predecessors set. Therefore he was sometimes criticized from the

More about James Monroe: Fifth President Of US