美国总统5 詹姆斯门罗.docx

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1、美国总统5詹姆斯门罗JamesMonroe:LastoftheCockedHatsVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.JamesMonroeeasilywonelectionin1816.Hehadarelaxed,likeablepersonalityandwaspopularwithvoters.Inaddition,manysawhimasalastconnectiontothecountrysfoundinggeneration.MonroehadfoughtinGeorgeWashingtonsarmyduringtheRevol

2、utionaryWaragainstBritishrule.HewasadiplomatduringThomasJeffersonspresidencyandhelpedcompletetheLouisianaPurchase.MonroeservedasJamesMadisonssecretaryofstateandbrieflyashissecretaryofwar,aswell-duringtheWarof1812.VoterspositivefeelingscarriedMonroeintoofficeanddefinedhispresidency.EraofGoodFeelingsW

3、henMonroebecamepresident,theUnitedStateshadjustdeclaredvictoryagainstBritishforcesintheWarof1812.TheAmericaneconomyalsowasdoingwell,atleastatfirst.Andthegovernmentwasmostlyunitedunderasingleparty.ButMonroedidhaveoneimmediateproblem:Heandhiswife,Elizabeth,couldnotmoveintothepresidentshouserightaway.T

4、heBritishhadburneditbadlyinanattackonWashington,D.C.Workerswerebusymakingrepairs.So,Monroedecidedtogoonatrip.Hespentthefirstweeksofhispresidencytraveling.HewentnorthintoNewEngland,visitingimportantplacesfromtheRevolutionaryWarortheWarof1812.EverywherehewentheremindedAmericansoftheirshared,proudhisto

5、ry.Heevenworeclothesintheoldcolonialstyle.OneofMonroesnicknamesisthelastofthecockedhats.ThenPresidentMonroeturnedwest,towardlandsthatwhitemigrantswereincreasinglysettling.TheywereabletomovewestinpartbecauseAmericansoldiershaddefeatedapowerfulallianceofNativeAmericantribes.WhathadbeenavictoryfortheU.

6、S.governmentwasacrushinglossforNativeAmericans.Manytribesmovedfartherwest.Othersbegantolosetheirlanguagesandtheircustomsaswhitesettlerstookcontrol.ForMonroe,however,thevisitwestwasapositivesignofthecountrysexpansion.BythetimehereturnedtoWashington,MonroehadmetmanyAmericans.Hehadlearnedforhimselftheg

7、eographyofthecountry.AndhehaddemonstratedthatallpartsoftheU.S.couldbeconnectedbypatriotismandacommonfederalgovernment.OnenewspapercalledMonroespresidencythebeginningofanEraofGoodFeelings.Fouryearslater,Monroewonasecondtermevenmoreeasilythanhisfirst.TheMissouriCompromiseYetJamesMonroespresidencyhadse

8、veralcrises.Onewasthecountrysfirsteconomicdepressioninmorethan30years.Anotherwasoverslavery.Thecountryhadbeendividedovertheissuesinceitsfounding.Bytheendof1819,elevenstates,allintheSouth,permittedslavery.Elevenstates,allintheNorth,didnot.Thequestionbecame:WouldthenewstatesintheWestpermitit?Monroehad

9、tofacethequestionwhensettlersaskedCongresspermissionforMissouriTerritorytobecomeastate.Manyenslavedpeoplealreadylivedthere.Whitesettlersexpectedtobringmore.ButamemberofCongressfromaNorthernstateproposedthatMissouricouldbecomeastateonlyifitbannedslavery.Thatproposalstartedadebatethatlastedmorethanaye

10、ar.Forthemostpart,thedebatewasnotbasedonthemoralproblemswithpeopleowningotherpeople.Instead,itinvolvedeconomicandpoliticalconcerns.Northernersarguedthatslave-holdingstateshadanunfaireconomicadvantage.Inaddition,ifMissourienteredtheUnionasaslavestate,itslawmakerswouldmovethebalanceofpowertowardtheSou

11、th.ThedebatecontinuedsolongthatanotherareaaskedtoentertheUnion.PeopleinnorthernMassachusettswantedtoorganizeintoanindependentstatecalledMaine.Aftersometime,lawmakersofferedacompromise.TheysaidMainecouldbeadmittedasafreestateandMissouriasaslavestate.Buttheyalsomadealineacrossamapofthecountry.Theysaid

12、Congresswouldnotadmitanotherslavestatenorthofthatline.JamesMonroesignedintolawwhatbecameknownastheMissouriCompromise.Itsettledtheissueofslavery,atleastofficially,intheU.S.formorethan20years.Buteveryoneknewthatthepeacebetweenpro-slaveryandanti-slaverygroupswasonlytemporary.TheMonroeDoctrineIn1823,Mon

13、roemadeoneofthemostimportantforeignpolicydecisionsinAmericanhistory.ItbecameknownastheMonroeDoctrine.ItrelatedtoSpainscoloniesinLatinAmerica.MonroehaddealtwithSpainbefore.Inhisfirstterm,heandhissecretaryofstatezJohnQuincyAdamszsuccessfullynegotiatedwithSpaintobuyFloridafortheUnitedStates.ByMonroesse

14、condterm,SpainhadalsolostcontrolofsomeofitsformercoloniesinLatinAmerica.ThepresidentbecameconcernedthatSpainsEuropeanallieswouldtrytohelpthecountryre-gainpower.HedidnotwantEuropeanpowersinterferinginareassoclosetoU.S.territoryandsoimportanttoU.S.trade.SoMonroegaveaspeechtoCongress.HesaidtheU.S.would

15、stayoutofEuropesaffairs.ButhesaidEuropeshouldalsostayoutofLatinAmericasaffairs.AndzMonroedeclaredthatEuropeanpowerswouldnotbepermittedtobegincolonizinganyareaintheWesternHemisphere.Inotherwords,MonroedeclaredthattheU.S.consideredtheentireWesternHemisphereitssphereofinfluence.HistoriansnotethatMonroe

16、didnotaimforthedeclarationtobeamajorstatement.ButitbecameabaseofAmericanforeignpolicyandsupportedU.S.expansionthroughoutthe19thcentury.FinalyearsJamesMonroewasthefourthandlastpresidentintheVirginiaDynasty.ExceptforJohnAdams,fourofthefirstfiveAmericanpresidentswerefromVirginia.Monroeandhiswifereturnedtotheirhomethereafterheleftoffice.Theyhadacloserelationshipwitheachother,aswellaswiththei