James Monroe became the fifth President of the United States on March 4, 1817
Presidential Tour
Early in the Summer of 1817 President Monroe embarked on a tour of the Northeastern and Midwestern states. The tour was an effort to promote national unity in the wake of the demise of the Federalist party.
Election
James Monroe was enthusiastically elected to a second term as President of the United States in 1820. Only one electoral vote was cast against him, and this was by John Quincy Adams who wanted to preserve George Washington's distinction as the only President ever to receive a unanimous vote.
Legislation
Rush-Bagot Agreement of 1817
The Rush-Bagot Agreement was a treaty between Britain and the United States which limited the amount of naval power each nation could to possess on the Great Lakes, and demilitarized the Canadian
border.
Transcontinental Treaty
In 1819 Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams, negotiated a treaty with Spain that made Florida a U.S. territory, and set the southern border of the Louisiana Territory. The new border ran along the Sabine, Red, and Arkansas rivers to the Continental Divide and then along the 42nd parallel to the Pacific. The treaty was not ratified by Congress until 1821.
Missouri Compromise
When Missouri petitioned Congress for admission into the Union in 1819, it did so as a slave state. The Northern states tried to block Missouri's entrance into the Union, and the Southern states threatened secession unless Missouri was admitted. Finally a compromise was reached when Maine petitioned for entry into the Union. The "Missouri Compromise" admitted Missouri to the Union as a slave state, while admitting Maine to the Union as a free state. The compromise also prohibited slavery north of parallel 36 30' in the Louisiana Territory. President Monroe had doubts as to whether the agreement was Constitutional, but he agreed to do it in order to preserve the balance of power in Congress.
1821-1825 Second Term
Events
Inauguration
President James Monroe delivered his second inaugural address on March 4, 1821.
Legislation
Monroe Doctrine
In 1823 several small colonies in Latin America succeeded in overthrowing Spanish rule. Britain approached the United States and suggested an alliance between the two nations in resisting European intrusion in Latin America. Both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison advised President Monroe to accept Britain's offer, while Secretary of State John Quincy Adams advised the President to make an independent declaration against further European intrusion in the Western Hemisphere. Despite a weak military, which was incapable of enforcing such a declaration, President Monroe listened to Adams, and on December 2, 1823 issued a statement promising that the United States would stay out of European conflicts and conflicts between European nations and their existing colonies. The letter went on to advise the nations of Europe that any attempt to establish new colonies in the Americas or to interfere in the affairs of already existing independent American nations would be seen as an "unfriendly act" toward the United States.
