James Monroe (The American Presidents)

James Monroe (The American Presidents)
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An Introduction to Monroe

Potentially politically skewed history

THE MONROE DOCTRINE IS REVISITED

A good bio

A Forgettable End to the Virginia Dynasty

James Monroe (The American Presidents)
Gary Hart
Manufacturer: Times Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0805069607
Release Date: 2005-09-15

Book Description

James Monroe is remembered today primarily for two things: for being the last of the Virginia Dynastyfollowing George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madisonand for issuing the Monroe Doctrine, his statement of principles in 1823 that the western hemisphere was to be considered closed to European intervention. But Gary Hart sees Monroe as a president ahead of his time, whose priorities and accomplishments in establishing Americas national security have a great deal in common with chief executives of our own time. Unlike his predecessors Jefferson and Madison, Monroe was at his core a military man. He joined the Continental Army at the age of seventeen and served with distinction in many pivotal battles. (He is prominently featured at Washingtons side in the iconic painting Washington Crossing the Delaware.) And throughout his career as a senator, governor, ambassador, secretary of state, secretary of war, and president, he never lost sight of the fact that without secure borders and friendly relations with neighbors, the American people could never be truly safe in their independence. As president he embarked on an ambitious series of treaties, annexations, and military confrontations that would secure Americas homeland against foreign attack for nearly two hundred years. Hart details the accomplishments and priorities of this forward-looking president, whose security concerns clearly echo those we face in our time.

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An Introduction to Monroe.......2007-04-08

It seems a general rule that as dynasties go on, they go into decline. This is not merely true with familial dynasties from the Caesars onward (and even before), but with political dynasties as well. A good example would be the so-called Virginia dynasty that held the presidency in the United States for 32 of its first 36 years. Certainly, Washington was one of the greatest presidents ever and Jefferson held his own, but things go into decline with the last two in this group, Madison and Monroe. At least Madison had a great reputation from his role in the writing of the Constitution. Monroe, however, was clearly the dimmest star in this constellation.

So goes the conventional wisdom, at least. Gary Hart's brief biography of Monroe does little to raise Monroe from the bottom of the list, but he does make a good case that Monroe was at least a decent president whose career may have looked better if not for constant comparison to Washington, Jefferson and Madison.

James Monroe was one of two Revolutionary War veterans to become president (the other, of course, was Washington). His war experience would eventually develop into foreign policy experience as he began to serve as a representative to England, France and Spain. Under Jefferson, he played a key role in the Louisana Purchase, and under Madison, he would serve as Secretary of State and - during the War of 1812 - Secretary of War. In the early days of the U.S., heading the State Department was a stepping stone to the presidency, and, following the precedent set by Jefferson and Madison, Monroe became president in 1817.

Monroe's presidency was commonly and, to a large extent, erroneously called the "Era of Good Feelings" due to the lack of party warfare as the Federalists faded from the national stage. As a result, there would be no competition for Monroe when he ran for reelection in 1820. Perhaps the biggest thing that came out of his tenure as president was the Monroe Doctrine, a statement of what America's role would be in the world, namely that the U.S. would stay out of European affairs while Europe would be expected to stay out of the Western Hemisphere.

Since this is a key piece of Monroe's legacy, Hart discusses the origins of the Doctrine. Was it truly Monroe's work or was it more the product of his Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams (a man with even more diplomatic experience than Monroe)? Hart covers the arguments of both sides and more-or-less splits the difference, sharing the responsibility.

For most people, Hart is more known as a politician, especially as a promising presidential candidate in 1984 whose campaign was derailed by scandal (though admittedly, he probably would not have fared much better than Mondale against the highly popular Reagan). Since leaving the Senate, he has written several books and has earned a decent reputation as a political writer. (In fact, the biggest flaw in this book is an unnecessary attack on George Bush; even if you agree with his assessment, it doesn't fit in this book.) His contribution to the American Presidents series fits well with its companion books: it is brief (150 or so pages of text), well-written and focused primarily on the presidency, secondarily on the pre-presidency career and only nominally about Monroe's personal life. If you want a detailed biography, this will not serve, but as an introduction to Monroe, this is a good book.

Potentially politically skewed history.......2006-11-28

I am an avid reader of presidential history. In all historical accounts, I desire to read a simple history of the topic. I am most concerned that some parts of the history may be skewed towards a certain political belief and therefore leave out certain historic points. In reading this book, I believed the writing flowed well. Some of the information was repetitive as if the author was struggling to extend the length of the text. My greatest concern in reading this, though, was that the author condemned the Bush administration on two ocassions. While this condemnation was based on political views of Monroe, the attack was certainly politically charged. Regardless of my political beliefs, I noted this as completely unprofessional. It would have been acceptable to casually mention times in presidential history that Monroe would have disagreed, but to claim misgivings on the current presidential administration when writing a text on James Monroe is far from being a historian and falls within the realm of political editorializing. Furthermore, the statements Mr. Hart claims as facts against the Bush administration are not entirely true. This leads me to wonder how much of this text is a true historic record, and how much is Mr. Harts perception of how Monroe's legacy is or should be. I am concerned this text may be written with Mr. Hart's political bias instead of complying to the real facts concerning this history.

THE MONROE DOCTRINE IS REVISITED.......2006-11-27

A new biography in `The American Presidents' series by Times Books that are edited by famed historian Arthur Schlesinger has been issued that focuses on the presidency of James Monroe who is now barely remembered by the American public since he served in high office in the early 19th Century. Yet he ruled in a similar fashion to the tenure of today's George W. Bush by promoting a tough national security policy in the aftermath of a just concluded war.

The biography on Monroe, the nation's fifth president, was written by former Colorado U.S. Senator Gary Hart.

Only students of American political history will recognize the name of this long-forgotten chief executive. Monroe is best remembered today as the architect of the `Monroe Doctrine' in which the United States, instead of Europe, would be the major influence of opinion in the Americas.

Monroe was elected in 1816 as this nation's fifth chief executive for two terms just when the nation was recovering from the aftermath of our second war with Britain in a thirty-five year timespan. He previously served in the Revolutionary War as an officer under George Washington and was immortalized in Emanuel Leutze's painting `Washington Crossing the Delaware' as the figure directly behind the famed general who was holding the flag as they prepared to battle the British.

Monroe was obviously influenced by his predecessor's actions in office to rule the country as our nation's first president, especially since the people's moods had split into two factions once Washington left office in 1797 and died two years later. The Federalists, as led by John Adams, believed in federal authority (national government) on all matters while the Republicans (the modern day Democratic Party) under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison emphasized each state's unique sovereignty over federal control on most issues facing the fledgling nation as those two and Monroe hailed from Virginia and all three recognized the need for the thirteen states to keep from being dominated by the federal government.

Hart writes that Monroe, in addition to his hero Washington, was obsessed with the defensive security of the new country's borders and wanted to prevent another attack from a foreign power as it struggled to maintain its sovereignty while growing in land size and population. He increased funding to the War Department for securing additional property in Florida and west towards the Pacific Ocean to better stabilize the nation's defenses against potential invaders from some other country wishing to get the spoils of these new lands that still did not possess a standing army and depended on volunteers for civil defense in times of a national emergency.

He issued an edict in December, 1823 on U.S. foreign policy that would resonate for the next two centuries as implied fact that became known as the `Monroe Doctrine.' The statement said that the Americas, not Europe, and especially the United States would take the lead on setting policy in North and South America and would not tolerate outside (i.e. European) influence on the two continents in the new world.

His second-term proclamation became the cornerstone of American foreign policy and has remained that way for these last 180 years, with many treaties with our American neighbors to the north and south leading up to and including NAFTA and CAFTA to ensure our mandate in this hemisphere stays that way. Hart declares in the biography that Monroe's insistence of no outside jurisdiction in our domain ensured that no Americans were to be killed by foreign attackers on our native soil until September 11, 2001.

The most important challenge to that doctrine came four decades after Monroe left office when England and France proposed to recognize the sovereignty of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. But President Abraham Lincoln was able to invoke Monroe's declaration and the threat of American military response against both European nations in forcing them to back down and staying out of the struggle between the states which was internally resolved in 1865.

It can be argued that the long-standing precedence of that doctrine was co-opted by President George W. Bush when he made a fundamental shift in American foreign policy after the 9/11 terror attacks when he instituted a `strike first' initiative against our perceived enemies in that we would attack those opponents pre-emptively so we could be safe from prospective devastation by groups opposed to our way of life. Yet one has to wonder if the Monroe Doctrine of cooperation among the countries of this hemisphere was sacrificed to this Bush edict that has alienated so many of the other countries of the world as we appear to go our own way on how to keep in check perceived `rogue nations' opposing our viewpoints.

A good bio.......2006-09-22

Mr. Hart provides a good bio, both complimentary and critical of President Monroe.

A Forgettable End to the Virginia Dynasty.......2006-06-19

President James Monroe is cheifly remembered for his important role in defining the relationship of the United States with the rest of the globe with the Principles of 1823 (later known as the Monroe Doctrine). No one would argue the significant impact of this contribution to the American political landscape.

However, Gary Hart is unable in his portrait of the fifth President to enliven Monroe or to rescue him from relative obscurity. He does make a noble attempt to present Monroe as the first "national security" president (a leader who never wavered in his commitment to keeping the United States prepared and safe). Unfortunately, Hart fails to create an engaging portrait. At the end of the day, despite Mr. Hart's effort, Monroe cannot possibly command the interest and respect that a John Adams or a Thomas Jefferson would achieve.

In fact, the man who was arguably greatly responsible for the Principles of 1823 and who served as Monroe's Secretary of State (who would himself become the sixth President) John Quincy Adams, upstages James Monroe's bland personality.

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Accurate and interesting, but not exceptional
Tedious and slow paced
A readable and accurate analysis about James Monroe.

The Presidency of James Monroe
Noble E. Cunningham
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0700607285

Book Description

Filled with new insights and fresh interpretations, this is the richest study yet published on the presidency of James Monroe, the last Revolutionary War hero to ascend to that august office.

Noble Cunningham's history of the fifth presidency (1817-25) shows a young nation beset by growing pains and led by a cautious politician who had neither the learning nor the intellect of Jefferson or Madison, but whose actions strengthened both the United States and the presidency itself.

Cunningham makes clear that the mislabelled "era of good feelings" had more than its share of crises, including those resulting from revolutions in Latin America, Spanish possession of Florida, the depression of 1819, and the controversy over slavery in Missouri.

Monroe, he shows, successfully defused these potentially explosive situations, most notably by negotiating the 1820 Missouri Compromise and announcing in 1823 what came to be known as the Monroe Doctrine, a document that still guides American policy in the western hemisphere.

Cunningham effectively places these actions within the context of Monroe's life and times and sheds new light on the inner workings of his cabinet and his relations with Congress. In addition, he features the prominent roles of two future presidents: John Quincy Adams as secretary of state and Andrew Jackson as the controversial general whose actions in the Seminole War created a headache for the administration.

Though substantially informed by previous scholarship, Cunningham writes largely from the abundant primary source materials of the era to provide an illuminating new look at a president and a nation on the brink of greatness.

This book is part of the American Presidency Series.

Customer Reviews:

Accurate and interesting, but not exceptional.......2001-11-07

As the last president who fought in the revolution and a lesser light when measured against Washington, Jefferson and Madison, James Monroe is often considered a transitional figure. Which has some validity in both cases. Although wounded in battle, he did not have anywhere near the stature that Washington did. He was also no match for the intellects of Adams, Jefferson or Madison, and was intellectually secondary to John Quincy Adams, his secretary of state. Nevertheless, he was a man of substance, showing patience in negotiating treaties that continued the inexorable expansion of U.S. territory.
Monroe also showed himself to be a true visionary when he enunciated the Monroe doctrine, where the powers of Europe were told to stay away from any interference with any country that had won independence from their former European masters. Given that it was the power of the British navy that enforced it, something that he was well aware of, it showed that he was trying to form a de-facto alliance with the former colonial rulers.
Cunningham chronicles these events, but also examines one other feature of the times, namely the lack of a second party. By the time of Monroe's second term, the Federalists were dead as a political party, although some still held office. Without opposition, there was no need to maintain discipline within the Republican party, a situation that led to the major problems Monroe had being generated by members of his party. This is a significant point, something that is covered in complete detail.
Monroe was also the first president to go on the equivalent of a campaign tour, which makes him more modern than he would appear. We see many hints of future presidents in that tour, how they will campaign, gather public support and simply how Americans receive their leaders.
In many ways, Monroe was a transitional figure as a president, which made his presidency relatively uneventful, considering what occurred in the previous administrations. Yet, he laid the groundwork for many substantial changes, starting the nation along paths of greatness, but also being a part of the trek towards a civil war. Cunningham describes all of this in detail, exploring the actions of a man who was a fine, but not great leader.

Tedious and slow paced.......1999-03-22

Unfortunately, this is the type of book that tends to put readers off of history. The writing is pedestrian and dry, and I finished the book feeling I knew little more about the person, James Monroe, than I did when I began. It was like a social studies text listing facts and figures without coming to life. Compare a book like this to "John Quincy Adams, A Public Life, A Private Life", where one truly come to know the historical character.

A readable and accurate analysis about James Monroe........1998-05-23

The Presidency Of James Monroe is an ambitious book, in which Noble Cunningham, jr. attempts to analyze the president's political beliefs, including his handling of domestic and foreign affairs from 1817 to 1825. For instance, Cunningham argues that Monroe used his powers as chief executive in a more pragmatic fashion than predecessors James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. In addition, Cunningham asserts that Monroe's attitude about Indians remained paternalistic, but the president did recommend the removal of all Indians east of the Mississippi River to a settlement west of Missouri and the Arkansas territory. Besides, the author recognizes that Monroe authorized Andrew Jackson to attack the Florida Seminole Indians. Next, Cunningham mentions Monroe's conflict over constitutionality regarding federally sponsored internal improvements. In fact, the author writes that Monroe vetoed a bill for federally sponsored internal improvements. Furthermore, Cunningham avers that the Monroe Doctrine, which warned European powers not to intervene in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere, represents the president's lasting legacy.

Cunningham persuasively argues that the Monroe Doctrine and legacy strengthened the power of the presidency in foreign affairs. Cunningham does, however, recognize Monroe's failure to gain treaty with Great Britain to suppress the International slave trade in 1824. Moreover, the author avers that Monroe used a cautious approach in foreign diplomacy in relations with Spain and the rebellious republics in Latin America.

Cunningham devotes an entire chapter to Monroe's cautious approach in dealing with the Missouri Compromise legislation. The author asserts that although Monroe did not wholeheartedly endorse the Missouri Compromise, the president used political expediency to forestall further problems in making Missouri a slave state and Maine a free state.

Throughout this exposition, Cunningham uses a number of Monroe's quotes to illustrate his points, and as in the Monr! oe Doctrine, he tells the quotes with a great deal of fervor. In addition, Cunningham adds interesting tidbits to enliven the narrative. For instance, the author informs the reader that Monroe resumed the formal entertaining that Thomas Jefferson had ended. In addition, Cunningham views Monroe as a "hands on" president, closely involved in administrative duties. But ironically, in Monroe's final annual message, he asserts that no divided interests exist in the United States, despite obvious sectional animosities over tariffs and slavery.

Book Description

This work offers the best of both worlds: broad analysis of the first five presidential administrations and specific excerpts from original documents supporting and opposing the presidents' positions. George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe speak for themselves as they argue for their positions on the key political, social, and economic issues of their time in excerpts from primary sources. Excerpts from opposing positions on each issue give the presidents' critics a voice. An explanatory overview of each issue will help students to understand the argument and the context of the issue and to apply critical thinking skills to their understanding. The section on each president includes entries on 4-5 key issues of his administration, from the president's title at the beginning of Washington's administration to American Indian removal at the close of Monroe's term. Primary documents include presidential memoirs, speeches, and letters, congressional speeches, Supreme Court decisions, newspaper editorials, and comments from prominent private citizens. An introductory overview of each president's administration provides a useful window through which to assess the specific debates and documents addressed. A timeline provides a chronological backdrop for the subject, and recommended readings following each section offer helpful direction for further study. Though the founding presidents remain revered today for their pioneering accomplishments in the early nation, this work reminds readers that the first executives faced ongoing opposition from members of the legislature, judiciary, and general public. Readers will gain a grounded understanding of the contested issues of the young nation and the way early decisions impacted our political system across time.

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Jefferson and Monroe
Noble E., Jr. Cunningham
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

From the moment Governor Thomas Jefferson handpicked a young soldier named James Monroe to serve as an aide during the Revolutionary War, a vital friendship and political alliance was born. Beginning as sponsor and protÄgÄ but soon becoming equals, Jefferson and Monroe forged a rich relationship that shaped our history in the early days of the republic. During this critical period, both men served as governor of Virginia, minister to France, secretary of state, and president for two terms. Their lives overlapped even more clearly through shared friendships with individuals such as James Madison; shared interests, such as the creation of the University of Virginia; and shared missions, including the completion of the Louisiana Purchase. In time, the two even became neighbors, creating a "society to our taste" near Charlottesville, Virginia.

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Well-edited, covers the end of the Civil War.......2004-03-06

The Papers of Jefferson Davis is a project out of Rice University in Houston, Texas. The entire series is well-edited, nicely produced and the format of the series is reader-friendly. The books reproduce all of the letters Davis wrote, as well as his speeches, telegrams and the responses to his letters. The responses appear in the footnotes and the appendix of the books.

For anyone with an interest in the American Civil War, Jefferson, or the politics of the Confederacy, these are welcome volumes. Most surprising to me is that Davis comes across privately as an intelligent, sometimes witty man. His letters to hiw wife, Varina, are especially intriguing. Highly recommended.

Presidents Above Party: The First American Presidency, 1789-1829
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Presidents Above Party: The First American Presidency, 1789-1829
Ralph Ketcham
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Reagan Diaries

ASIN: 080784179X

Book Description

George Washington's vision was a presidency free of party, a republican, national office that would transcend faction. That vision would remain strong in the administrations of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, and John Quincy Adams, yet largely disappear under Andrew Jackson and his successors.

This book is a comprehensive and pathbreaking study of the early presidency and the ideals behind it. Ralph Ketcham examines the roots of nonpartisan leadership in Western thought and the particular influences on the founding fathers. Intellectual and political profiles of the first six presidents and their administrations emphasize the construction each put on the office, the challenges he faced, and the compromises he did and did not make. The erosion of nonpartisanship under Andrew Jackson is presented as a counterpoint that helps define the early presidency and the permanent transition from it.

Book Description

Until now most Monroe scholarship has been limited to the resources available at the Library of Congress, the NY Public Library, the Monroe Museum, and the College of William and Mary. These collections are only a portion of the widely scattered material that is available. With some 35,800 entries, representing 182 libraries and archives in the U.S. and Great Britain, this catalogue provides researchers with access to the wider corpus of Monroe papers, including letters written by and to Monroe, documents pertaining to his private affairs, important public documents, and official accounts of governmental bodies. Arranged in chronological order, entries contain the names of correspondents or author, the date and place of writing, a precis of contents, a list of names mentioned, physical description of the item, enclosures if relevant, repository, and reference to any published copies. A comprehensive index enables the researcher to find entries by subject. Designed as a bibliographic tool, the catalogue, by means of the document precis, also provides a comprehensive summary of all extant Monroe correspondence. Thus the catalogue provides not only a guide to the location of Monroe's papers but also a comprehensive documentary record of Monroe's life and career.

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James Monroe (American statesmen)
Daniel Gilman
Manufacturer: Chelsea House Pub (T)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0877541876

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