James Monroe: 18171825

1
James Monroe 1817-1825

• From Virginia, was a close advisor to Madison
• Helped to create the ideas of Manifest Destiny
  and the Monroe Doctrine
• Was President during the so-called Era of Good
  Feelings where only one political party existed
  and everyone seemed to get along.

2
Manifest Destiny

• Early in his Presidency, James Monroe (he came
  after Madison) wanted to expand the country so
  that it covered all the land between the Atlantic
  and Pacific
• Consequently, he felt that it was our destiny to
  do so, thus this was called Manifest Destiny
• Unfortunately, there were issues like the balance
  of free and slave states, the Native Americans
  (which we have talked about a little), and the
  ability to control such a huge chunk of land that
  got in the way of this.
• With his trusty Secretary of State John Quincy
  Adams, Monroe began to slowly add territory, the
  first being Florida

3
The Monroe Doctrine We step out

• Early in the 1820s many Latin American colonies
  were fighting for their independence
• Monroe and Adams felt that these new Latin
  American nations needed some protection, so they
  created the Monroe Doctrine
• This said no new European colonies could be
  established in the Western Hemisphere
• It was targeted at France, Spain, and Great
  Britain

4
Contd

• Monroe Doctrine also stated U.S. would not become
  involved in the internal affairs of Europe.
• U.S. recognized the existing colonies in the
  Western Hemisphere and would not interfere with
  them

5
1824 Election

• In 1824, you had five main candidates
• Henry Clay Border States
• John Calhoun South Carolina
• John Quincy Adams - Massachusetts
• Andrew Jackson - Tennessee
• William Crawford - Georgia
• Before the election, Calhoun decided to not run
  for President, but rather Vice President.
• The election caused increased tension between the
  candidates, and eventually they split the party
  into different factions.

6
Wow

• Jackson and Henry Clay, who was Speaker of the
  House did not really like each other all that
  much
• When Jackson failed to get a majority of the
  electoral votes, but a popular majority, the
  House of Representatives got to choose the new
  President
• Adams offered Clay the position of Secretary of
  State (pretty much every President had been
  Secretary of State) and Clay obliged by throwing
  his influential support behind Adams
• Adams wins, and Jackson goes home for now

7
John Quincy Adams 1825-1829

• Elected in one of the most controversial
  elections in US history
• Created the Monroe Doctrine and the Adams-Onis
  Treaty that acquired Florida
• Term was marked by improvements in transportation
  and relative tranquility