#5 James Monroe

1817--1825

--James Monroe was the last founding father of the United States to become president.

He was also the last U.S. president to wear a powdered wig.

--Monroe is most noted for his proclamation in 1823 of the Monroe Doctrine, which stated that

the United States would not tolerate further European intervention in the Americas. It boldly

asserted the status of the United States as a full-fledged nation, and this gained the administration popular support during a time of increased nationalism.

--Most historians label Monroe’s first term “The Era of Good Feelings”, partly because there was a near total lack of partisan politics (the Federalist party dissolved while the Democratic-Republican party was largely inactive).

--The capital city of the West African country of Liberia is named Monrovia. It is the only non-American capital city named after a U.S. president. 

--James Monroe died on July 4th, 1831. He was the third president to die on the 4th of July (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day five years before Monroe). Also, Zachary Taylor was stricken ill on July 4th, and died days afterward. In light of this, every president since Taylor spends each 4th of July encased in a sterile steel tube surrounded by armed guards.