***Ok, late edition here, you want to know something CRAZY we JUST discovered?!**
Remember yesterday, when I talked about how we went to Appomattox Court House a year ago today, and how we were just a day off from being there on Grant's birthday? Well, it dawned on me that after Appomattox, that same day, we headed to Richmond, Virginia, where we visited two presidential graves. John Tyler... and wait for it... James MONROE! We were there on his birthday last year, and we didn't even know it.
Ok, Ok, I probably find this way more awesome than any of you.. so we can continue on now with the blog....
Isn't it weird how we go weeks without a presidential birthday and then you get two in a row? I never believed in astrology, but holy geez, do the stars need to align for a president to be born or something?
Either way, the day after Grant, we have James Monroe, rounding out our top five. (Fun fact: We've celebrated four out of the first five now, and it's only April!) I don't have a fun nickname for Monroe. There's too many James', six in fact, the most common presidential name. (here's looking at you Madison, Polk, Buchanan, Garfield, and yes, Carter) So in an effort to avoid confusion, because even I want to call him James Madison half the time, we're just going to go with Monroe here.
Hayden gets the honor for the second day in a row here. He wins because he was the only one around when I asked.
Going back to our usual parental units for presidential parents, we've got Monroe here with his partents Spence and Elizabeth. Spence was a farmer, and Elizabeth taught the kids at home until they could go off to school. He had four brothers and sisters and grew up, where else? Colonial Virginia.
When Monroe was 11, Spence died, so he took care of his mom and his siblings, before heading off to collage at William & Mary. Meanwhile, tnesions are rising with the British and there's a little thing cold a shot heard round the world. It's important to note, Monroe wasn't all that gifted academically. He didn't have a great mind like TJ or even James Buchanan, and he was certainly no PhD holding Woodrow Wilson. Anyway, the point is, academics wasn't exactly his thing. (Aaron Burr, you know TJ's murderous VP would call Monroe "incompetent, naturally stupid, extremely illiterate and indecisive. But, you know, consider the source).
So whats a guy who isn't all that gifted academically, going to college during a revolution supposed to do? Why, break into the Governor's palace (a British palace to be clear) and steal all the guns and swords, even the decorative ones.
So Monroe, who is tall and rugged, with great physical strength and endurance (a total jock! No Hiram Grant, that's for sure), gathers 24 of his closest buddies who also happened to be similarly angry patriots, and organizes the raid. And, it was a total success. They loot the place of something like 200 muskets and 300 swords.
And they take it back to arm the Virginia militia. Monroe, realizing he's much better at stealing weapons than doing math homework, decides it's time to drop out of school and join the revolt!
Monroe is charismatic, and a good solider, so it's no surprise he rises up the ranks. Eventually fighting under a certain General you might have heard of. No big deal, just GEORGE WASHINGTON!
He's there for the whole crossing the Delaware madness...
AND in that famous painting of Washington crossing the Delaware, well, it's supposed to be Monroe holding the U.S. Flag!
The battle of Trenton ensues, and of course you know from your history books, and my George Washington blog, that the Continental Army wins (USA! USA!) But, during that battle, Monroe gets shot in the shoulder. No biggy, he just goes on fighting. Because, he's the kind of a badass I thought Grant was. (Oh, Sam, I'm still so sad about you). Monroe continued his tradition of stealing weapons when he captured multiple cannons. Oh, and his bullet in his shoulder? That stayed there for the rest of his life.
Oh, and he weathered the winter at Valley Forge with Washington too. Because only the toughest of the tough actually survived there.
Monroe became known as the last cocked hat. (Yea, I made a newspaper hat for my pez dispenser, whats it to you?) He got that nickname because he was the last president who fought in the Revolutionary War. (Andrew Jackson's stint as a POW and a courier when he was a kid doesn't count, in case you're wondering).
Monroe did so well he got promotion after promotion. But eventually those promotions equate to a high profile desk job, and that is no place for a tough guy like Monroe who happens to be carrying a bullet around in his shoulder. He got bored and restless, and went back to Virginia in the hopes forming a militia.
Except, he met this guy you also might have heard of, a man by the name of THOMAS JEFFERSON! And TJ was all "hey man, don't start a militia. Just come work for me, you can be my legal apprentice." And Monroe is all "Oh, geez, I don't know, I mean you're the great Tommy J and everything, but it's still a desk job." And so TJ tells him "Well, I mean, everyone knows if you want to be president, you should probably be a lawyer first" and Monroe is like "hey, good point, ok".
Or at least that's how I picture it in my mind. There was probably waffles and fries and plant watching or something, with really big words. But, anyway..
So Monroe puts his army days behind him. He was beloved by his men and well respected by George Washington, which is like the best endorsement you can get.
Of course then he goes into politics.. where he becomes a member of the Virginia legislature and then a delegate to the Continental Congress.
And then he meets and marries Elizabeth. And that's all I've got. Google Elizabeth Monroe. Don't lie, I know you won't, but if you did, you wouldn't get much of anything.
But they have three kids, a son who dies in infancy and their two daughters: Eliza and Maria.
As for the Continental Congress and the debate of the Constitution was going on, and Monroe took the middle ground. Eventually he was persuaded to get on board, but only if everyone agreed to add to it with the Bill of Rights later.
So, now we have a Constitution and a country, and Monroe works for Congress.
He actually works under 3 out of the first four presidents. He is Washington's minister to France.
He's not there to help out John Adams because he's busy being Governor of Virginia.
TJ sends him over to be the minister of Great Britain, and then is like "oh hey, old buddy old pal, why don't you go over and talk to Napoleon? Try and broker that little Louisiana Purchase delio".
And Monroe is all "no problemo, TJ, anything for you." Again, I'm paraphrasing here.
Then Madison becomes president, with good old Dolley being First Lady, and he makes Monroe his Secretary of State. (Who simultaneously at one point holds the title of Secretary of State AND Secretary of War, kicking British butt again during the War of 1812.)
When Madison was about to leave office after 8 years, Monroe was the natural selection for the presidency. By now the Federalist Party was kaput, and pretty much everyone was a Democratic-Republican. A couple people made a stink wanting to end the dynasty of Virginian presidents, but other than that, it was pretty smooth sailing right into the presidency for Monroe. I mean, how's he going to lose with TJ and Madison behind him?
So, he have our fifth president: James Monroe. (fun fact: he's the first president to be inaugurated outside, and in front of the public!)
But Elizabeth and Monroe can't move into the Executive Mansion just yet. You see, it was still under construction after that whole burning of Washington during the War of 1812.
Instead of moving in, Monroe hits the road, and he travels like no other president before him. He goes as far north as the Maine territory (he'd later make it a state)....
And as far west as Michigan.
When the Executvie Mansion is ready to be occupied again, the Monroe's move in and bring a bunch of their furniture with them, because the house was otherwise empty. This is also when the White House, becomes white. It was painted after the rebuilding!
Monroe may be a beloved president, touring the country receiving cheers, but Elizabeth was not nearly as popular. She was ill, and spent most of her days not being seen. To the public she appeared cold and distant. (See, I used Elsa for a reason!)
So while Elsa, er- Elizabeth, stayed upstairs at the Executive Mansion and was hardly ever seen, Monroe's oldest daughter Eliza took over all the first lady duties.
But things for Monoe were going well, and despite a breif depression the country was happy, and so Monroe's presidency earned the nickname of the 'era of good feelings'. Not a bad tagline.
You may be wondering how tough, rugged, not to shabby looking Monroe fared as president? Well, pretty good. He won his second term nearly unanimously. Legend says one electoral refused to vote for him because he thought GW should be the only guy every elected in a unanimous vote. Madison, TJ, and Monroe all served 8 years. The next time three presidents in a row would be elected to two terms would be when Obama won in 2012.
Monroe added 5 states, more than every other administration except one.
He also acquired the land for Florida. The Seminole Indians had been advancing into Georgia, and so Monroe wanted to put a stop to it. (He just wanted them to stay in FL).
So he sent a man, by the name of General Andrew Jackson down to push the Seminoles back into Florida. Jackson, being Jackson, didn't listen and invaded Florida. But, the whole thing ended up in us getting the land for Florida for somewhere around $5 million. Good investment if you ask me.
Monroe also had a very famous Secretary of State, by the name of John Quincy Adams. (Do you see all the cameos today?)
And JQA helped Monroe write his Annual Message to Congress, and buried in there was a great big 'Get off my Lawn' speech to Europe. Though written by JQA, it became known as the Monroe Doctrine. Basically, he told Europe if they set foot in his hemisphere, it'd be an act of war. Monroe wasn't about to deal with crap from Europe again, and because Monroe was the badass he was, and because they hadn't fared so well in the War of 1812 or the Revolutionary War, Europe listened.
I mean, we're talking about a guy who broke up a would be duel between two foreign diplomats in the white house by drawing his sword, and who used a fireplace poker to threaten his secretary of the treasury who tried to push him around.
When Monroe left office, JQA took over, and Elizabeth died, prompting a broke (a trend) Monroe to move in with his daughter Eliza in New York.
He died in New York on the 4th of July, 5 years after John Adams and TJ.
27 years his body was moved from it's burial site to Richmond.
Which, like I said, we were at a year ago today! We were at his grave on his birthday, and somehow we had no idea. (I'm still so sad we're not heading to D.C. this weekend for the Embassy open houses, but with our anniversary, a trip to Ohio, and the cruise to Mexico, there just aren't enough vacation days).
Anyway, I added our timeline props to our Monroe Doctrine.
Some fun facts, and his quote.
And then we watched our president in 60 seconds, and made birthday cards.
Hayden got Monroe right on the front, but said Madison on the inside, opps, honest mistake!
Since he's the flag holding guy in the crossing of the Delaware we had a tissue paper american flag craft.
They turned out pretty good, I think.
Oh and the hashtag (in purple for Democratic-Republican, you know Blue plus Red!)
A nod to the Monroe Doctrine: Don't call us, We'll call you #GetOffMyLawn
For dinner we had some of James Monroe's favorites: Fried Chicken (thanks for the help, Publix), rice, and spoon bread. (We figure it's called that because it tastes like bread, but the consistency requires a spoon.
Asa also made sponge cake, James Monroe's favorite.
It turned out a little flat, and we ended up serving it more as a strawberry shortcake, but it was pretty good. Way better than the rice pudding Grant liked.
Oh, and our birdseed things from yesterday turned out pretty cool.
That's it for April presidents! I can't even tell you how accomplished I feel every month when the boards are complete. Next month we might be needing the board for something else, and we only have two presidents, so I'll have to come up with something a little different. No worries, I have an idea.
We had Disney plans for tomorrow, but we'll see the weather not be on board with that plan. I probably won't be back with a blog until after the draft. We aren't headed to the stadium (no free stuff this year, booo!), so Calib asked me if I could make the NFL inspired pizza's for the top four picks. It's a fun change-up instead of making them for the four best teams. Plus, we all know that's the only way I'm getting the Tampa Bay inspired pizza. Anyway, we're drafting Jameis Winston. I'm not pleased (this girl is a Mariota fan), but I've come to accept it. It's happening, time to get on board.
Anyway, I'll see you guys back here in a few days!
Next Up: The Flower & Garden Festival & The Number ONE Pick!!!
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