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Primary sourceBook1820 (describing 1817-1818 events)

The Tour of James Monroe Through the Northern and Eastern States

S. Putnam Waldo · 1820 (describing 1817-1818 events)

A contemporary 1820 account describing President Monroe's 1817 and 1818 tours through the northern and eastern states, including a sketch of his life.

This book documents Monroe's presidential tours, showing him as the subject of contemporary public celebration.

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Cover of a book with a mottled brown and orange marbled surface and a white library label reading UC-NRLF with a barcode and the call number $B 267 028. The spine edge is visible on the left.
S. Putnam Waldo, The Tour of James Monroe Through the Northern and Eastern States, 1820.

About this source

What it is

This book by S. Putnam Waldo describes James Monroe's tours as president through the northern and eastern United States in 1817 and 1818. It includes a short biography and descriptions of the places he visited, published in 1820.

Why it matters

Presidential tours like this one allowed citizens across the country to see their president in person at a time when travel and communication were slow. Written close to the events it describes, this account shows how Monroe's presidency was publicly celebrated and recorded for contemporary readers.

Look closer

  • Why might someone write and publish a detailed account of a president's travels?
  • What does the inclusion of a 'sketch of his life' suggest about how the author wanted readers to view Monroe?
  • How might an account written to celebrate a leader differ from a more critical history?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of James Monroe on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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