194 years ago today, on July 4, 1831 (May 25, 1831 lunar calendar), the fifth president of the United States, James Monroe, passed away. Photo: James Monroe Monroe was president when the United States ended years of war and entered a period of peace building. He emphasized national consciousness at home and vigorously expanded territory abroad, creating favorable conditions for the development of the United States. The foreign policy policy policy policy proposed by Monroe in 1823 was called "or", that is, under the slogan "America belongs to Americans", it was openly classified as the United States. Monroe's old life was bleak, and he died in his daughter's house at the age of 73. President Monroe's most influential political achievement was in his State of the Union address to Congress in 1823, which stated that "America is America for Americans," that "the nations of the American continent, which have obtained and maintained their freedom and independence, shall not henceforth be the object of future colonization by any European power," and opposed any European country's interference in American affairs. This is known as the "Monroe Doctrine". The "Monroe Doctrine" became the cornerstone of American foreign policy and became the guide for American foreign affairs, especially in Latin America. On September 23, 1830, Mrs. Monroe died of a stroke, which dealt a great blow to Monroe. After burying her, Monroe was almost penniless, and all his assets were exhausted. He had to move to his second daughter's home in New York and live on her daughter. Then-President John Quincy Adams appointed his second son-in-law as the New York Postal Service Director, and this salary ensured the life of the Monroe family. In order to make money, President Monroe had to write books in exchange for royalties. Monroe's poverty finally moved the US Congress, who approved the compensation of $30,000 for Monroe's presidency, together with his land sales, only enough to pay off Monroe's old debts, but could not make up for his poor life. In 1831, Monroe's last home, Oak Manor, was sold by him, and Monroe became a true homeless. On July 4, 1831, Monroe died of heart failure at his daughter's house. At the age of 73, he became the third former president to die on National Day.