From Revolutionary Soldier to American Statesman: Monroe Pre-Presidency Part One
Year(s) Discussed: 1758-1787
What does it take to rise from being a 16-year-old orphan to a central figure in the American founding? This episode explores the early leadership journey of James Monroe, a man driven by a profound aversion to "insignificance".
We trace Monroe’s evolution from a courageous young lieutenant who nearly bled to death at the Battle of Trenton to a strategic thinker under the mentorship of Thomas Jefferson. You will learn how Monroe’s "substantial qualities of judgment" allowed him to build vital connections with figures like Washington and Lafayette, while his time as an aide-de-camp provided him with the "big-picture" perspective necessary for high-level statesmanship.
Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.
Special thanks to Alex for providing the intro quote for this episode, and please be sure to check out our Vice Presidencies special series!
- Ammon, Harry. James Monroe: The Quest for National Identity. Charlottesville, VA and London: University Press of Virginia, 1999 [1971].
- Brown, Stuart Gerry, ed. The Autobiography of James Monroe. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2017 [1959].
- DeRose, Chris. Founding Rivals, Madison vs. Monroe: The Bill of Rights and the Election That Saved a Nation. New York: MJF Books, 2011.
- Ernst, Robert. Rufus King: American Federalist. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1968.
- Fix, Julie K. “Elizabeth Monroe.” American First Ladies: Their Lives and Their Legacy. Lewis L Gould, ed. New York and London: Garland Publishing Inc, 1996. pp 69-79.
- “Fowlis, Dundee, Scotland.” Google Maps. https://maps.app.goo.gl/bbHB2TaKecGEaxKF8. [Last Accessed: 21 Mar 2025]
- Hart, Gary. James Monroe. New York: Times Books, 2005.
- Landry, Jerry. The Presidencies of the United States. 2017-2025. https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.
- McGrath, Tim. James Monroe: A Life. New York: Penguin Random House, 2020.
- Preston, Daniel, ed. The Papers of James Monroe, Selected Correspondence and Papers, 1776-1794, Volume 2. Westport, CT and London: Greenwood Press, 2006.
Featured Image: "Washington Crossing the Delaware" by Emanuel Leutze [c. 1851], courtesy of Wikipedia
