James Monroe

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Learn about James Monroe's accomplishments, including his role in the Louisiana Purchase and his formation of the Monroe Doctrine

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James Monroe, oil sketch by E.O. Sully, 1836, after a contemporary portrait by Thomas Sully; in Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia.

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James Monroe

president of United States

Written by Samuel Flagg Bemis

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Mar 27, 2024 • Article History

James Monroe

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Category: History & Society

Born:: April 28, 1758, Westmoreland county, Virginia [U.S.]

Died:: July 4, 1831, New York, New York, U.S. (aged 73)

Title / Office:: presidency of the United States of America (1817-1825), United States; governor (1811), Virginia; governor (1799-1802), Virginia; United States Senate (1790-1794), United States; Continental Congress (1783-1786), United States

Political Affiliation:: Democratic-Republican Party

Awards And Honors:: Hall of Fame (1930)

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James Monroe (born April 28, 1758, Westmoreland county, Virginia [U.S.]—died July 4, 1831, New York, New York, U.S.) was the fifth president of the United States (1817–25), who issued an important contribution to U.S. foreign policy in the Monroe Doctrine, a warning to European nations against intervening in the Western Hemisphere. The period of his administration has been called the Era of Good Feelings. Monroe’s father, Spence Monroe, was of Scottish descent, and his mother, Elizabeth Jones Monroe, of Welsh descent. The family were owners of a modest 600 acres (240 hectares) in Virginia. At age 16 Monroe entered the ...(100 of 2273 words)

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