2016 marked the bicentennial of James Monroe’s election as our nation’s 5th president. The presidency served as a capstone to Monroe’s previous forty years of service to America, beginning in 1776 when he enlisted as a soldier in the 3rd Virginia Infantry during the Revolutionary War.
Student Work
“Election of 1816,” Nathan Martin
“The National Climate in 1816,” Aidan Stoddart
“Elizabeth Kortright Monroe and 19th Century Women’s Rights,” Audrey Parks
“Personal Life of a Political Family,” Jillian Hesler
“International Climate and Foreign Policy,” Adam McGill
A Partnership with Monticello High School
The Election of 1816 was done in partnership with Monticello High School’s Monticello Scholars in the Social Sciences. A special thank you to John Baran, Social Studies Department Chair and Gifted Resource Teacher, and to his students: Jillian Hesler, Nathan Martin, Audrey Parks, Aidan Stoddart, and Adam McGill. During the spring semester of 2016, these five academically gifted juniors researched the election of 1816 from the angles of election process, national climate, international climate, the personal life of the Monroe family in 1816, and women in the early 19th century. The students visited the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia to view original documents as part of their research. The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society also served as a valuable resource.
Image of cotton gin courtesy of Eli Whitney Museum (www.eliwhitney.org)