Fifth President Of The United States

Background.

James Monroe was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, on 28 April 1758 to Spence and Elizabeth Monroe, the oldest of their five children. Though well off, the Monroe family was not among Virginia's elite. After a primary education in a private school, Monroe entered the College of William and Mary at the age of sixteen. The American Revolution interrupted his education, and he enlisted as a lieutenant in the Continental Army in 1776. He was present at several major battles and was wounded at Trenton. He caught George Washington's attention and studied law with Thomas Jefferson, then Virginia's governor, from 1780 to 1783. In 1786 he married Eliza Kortright, the daughter of a New York merchant who traced his ancestors to early Dutch immigrants.

Early Career.

In 1782 Monroe was elected to Virginia's state legislature and a year later entered the Confederation Congress. He realized...