Barbara Bennett Peterson 
James Monroe 
Ensuring National Security with an Instinct for Command

James Monroe was the fifth president of the United States, whose terms extended from his election in 1816 through his retirement after the election of 1824. He brought an extensive resume to the office, as Monroe had fought in the American Revolution, served in the Articles of Confederation Congress, became a lawyer, served as Governor of Virginia, Minister to France, England, and Spain, and was elected president as a Democratic-Republican. He had married Elizabeth Kortright from New York who spoke fluent French, and she greatly assisted him in rescuing the Marquise Adrienne Lafayette family during the French Reign of Terror. James Monroe was a deliberate man who studied all sides of a political question, consulted with his Cabinet, and made his own decisions with an instinct for command. He was a man’s man who rode hard, shot sure, spoke plainly, and loved his family unconditionally. He worked hard to establish himself as a planter aristocrat in Virginia and befriended most politicians of his era, working with George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Patrick Henry, Alexander Hamilton, and David Livingston. Monroe was an ardent negotiator and was instrumental in securing the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the United States. He is most well-known and admired for his famed Monroe Doctrine, which guaranteed the independence of Latin American countries following the Napoleonic Wars. Monroe was a true statesman who ensured America’s national security by rounding out U.S. natural boundaries through treaties and diplomacy, and provided for strong defenses at U.S. ports, harbors, and military installations. By enforcing the Monroe Doctrine, President Monroe established a strong place for America in world affairs, earning international respect and admiration.