Presidential Profiles: James Monroe (1817–1825)

James Monroe was born on April 28, 1758 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Born to prosperous Virginia planters, he was orphaned in his teens, inheriting part of the family farm.

Before becoming president, James Monroe would have a long and distinguished public career as a soldier, diplomat, governor, senator, and cabinet official. On March 4, 1817, James Monroe took the oath of office in Washington, D.C. His annual salary was $25,000. He would serve 2 terms as president from 1817 to 1825. On March 3, 1825, James Monroe's tenure as president would end. On July 4, 1831, he died at 73 years of age in New York, New York.

John Monroe's Administration

First Lady: Elizabeth "Eliza" Monroe, married February 16, 1786

Vice President: Daniel D. Tompkins (1817-1825)

Secretary of State:

John Quincy Adams (1817-25)

Secretary of the Treasury:

William H. Crawford (1817-25)

Secretary of War:

John C. Calhoun (1817-25)

Attorneys General:

Richard Rush (1817)
William Wirt (1817-25)

Secretaries of the Navy:

Benjamin W. Crowninshield (1817-18)
Smith Thompson (1819-23)
Samuel L. Southard (1823-25)

Inaugural Information

Eighth Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1817

Ninth Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1821

For more information on President James Monroe, check out these resources...

James Monroe, White House

American President: James Monroe, Miller Center, University of Virginia

James Monroe, POTUS, Internet Public Library

Sonnet Ireland
Head of Federal Documents and Microforms
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Liaison Librarian:

Accounting; Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism; Legal Research;
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President James Monroe's Birthday

Today marks the 251st birthday of our 5th president, James Monroe. President Monroe served from 1817 to 1825 and was known as the “Era-of-Good-Feelings President." His views on foreign policy would come to be known as the Monroe Doctrine and would be a long-standing policy held by the American government. He died on July 4, 1851--one of three presidents to die on Independence Day. To learn more, click on these links:

White House: Biography of James Monroe


Monroe Doctrine: Primary Documents of American History
(Library of Congress)


Sonnet Erin Brown
Federal Documents Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research/Political Science