The presidency of James Monroe began on March 4, 1817, when James Monroe was inaugurated as the fifth president of the United States, and ended on March 4, 1825, after two terms.

1817 March 1817 March 4 – James Monroe is inaugurated as the fifth president of the United States. He retains William H. Crawford as secretary of the treasury, Richard Rush as attorney general, Return J. Meigs Jr. as postmaster general, and Benjamin Williams Crowninshield as secretary of the navy. March 5 – Monroe nominates Benjamin Parke to the United States District Court for the District of Indiana. March 10 – Attorney general Richard Rush takes the additional role of acting secretary of state. March 30 – The United States signs a treaty with the Menominee.

April 1817 April 29 Monroe signs the Rush–Bagot Treaty, an agreement with the United Kingdom to disarm in the Great Lakes that was originally negotiated by Monroe was he was secretary of state. Jonathan Russell becomes the first US minister to Sweden.

May 1817 May 14 – John Quincy Adams becomes minister to the United Kingdom.

June 1817 June 1 – Monroe departs for a tour of New England to build relations with local politicians and members of the Federalist Party. This is recognized as the beginning of the Era of Good Feelings, a period of minimal political conflict within the United States. June 24 – The United States signs a treaty with the Otoe. June 25 – The United States signs a treaty with the Ponca.

July 1817 July 8 – The United States signs a treaty with the Cherokee.

August 1817 August 24 – An American delegation departs for South America.

September 1817 September 17 – Monroe's tour of New England ends. September 22 – John Quincy Adams becomes secretary of state. September 29 – The United States signs a treaty with the Chippewa, Delaware, Ottawa, Potawatomi, Seneca, and Shawnee.

October 1817 October 30 – Richard Rush ends his tenure as attorney general.

November 1817 November 15 – William Wirt succeeds Richard Rush as attorney general. November 21 – The United States initiates a policy of pursuing runaway slaves hiding among the Seminole people. This begins the First Seminole War.

December 1817 December 1 The 15th United States Congress opens its first session. Monroe declares that the United States is neutral on the independence movement of Latin American territories. December 2 – Monroe delivers the 1817 State of the Union Address. December 10 Mississippi is admitted to the United States as the twentieth state. John C. Calhoun becomes secretary of war. December 23 – Monroe signs a bill repealing the taxes of 1813. December 26 – General Andrew Jackson is authorized to combat the Seminole in Florida and Georgia.

1818 January 1818 January 13 – Monroe announces the capture of Amelia Island from Spanish Florida, stating that Spain was unable to address a local piracy problem. January 22 – The United States signs a treaty with the Creek. January 27 – Monroe nominates Albion Parris to the United States District Court for the District of Maine.

February 1818 February 12 – Richard Rush becomes minister to the United Kingdom. February 14 – William Pinkney ends his tenure as minister to Russia.

March 1818 March – Andrew Jackson begins launching attacks against Spanish Florida to prevent them from helping the Seminole. March 6 – Andrew Jackson captures the fort at St. Marks, Florida. March 18 – The Military Pension Act of 1818 grants a military pension for veterans of the American Revolutionary War. March 27 – Monroe signs a resolution authorizing the public release of journals and proceedings from the Constitutional Convention.

April 1818 April 4 – The Flag Act of 1818 sets into law that the flag of the United States is to have 13 stripes and one star for each state. April 16 – The Senate ratifies the Rush-Bagot Agreement. April 18 Illinois is authorized to create a constitution in anticipation of statehood. The Navigation Act of 1818 bans the entry of ships from any British territory where American ships are banned. April 20 Monroe nominates William Bayard Shields to the United States District Court for the District of Mississippi and Jonathan Hoge Walker to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The 15th United States Congress adjourns its first session. April 29 – Andrew Jackson authorizes the execution of two British citizens after they are convicted of assisting the Seminole in the First Seminole War.

May 1818 May 5 – William Eustis ends his tenure as minister to the Netherlands. May 24 – Andrew Jackson attacks Pensacola in Spanish Florida. This is recognized as an act of war against Spain. May 27 – Monroe signs a treaty of commerce between the United States and Sweden following its ratification in February 1817. May 28 – Monroe begins a tour of Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.

June 1818 June 18 Monroe learns of and condemns Andrew Jackson's attacks against Spanish Florida. He ends his tour of Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina early. The United States signs the Treaty of St. Louis with the Pawnee. Additional Pawnee groups are added over the following days.

July 1818 July Negotiations begin to sell Spanish Florida to the United States. The delegation to South America returns to the United States.

August 1818 August 24 – The United States signs a treaty with the Quapaw.

September 1818 September 17 – The United States signs the Treaty of St. Mary's with several Native American tribes. September 25 The treaty of commerce between Sweden and the United States enters into force. The United States signs a treaty with the Illinois Confederation. The United States signs a treaty with the Osage Nation.

October 1818 October 19 – The United States signs a treaty with the Chickasaw. October 20 The United States and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of 1818 to resolve disputes that arose from the War of 1812, including the border of the Louisiana Territory and fishing rights off Newfoundland. The Rush-Bagot Treaty is signed. October 22 – Jonathan Russell ends his tenure as minister to Sweden.

November 1818 November 9 – Monroe appoints Smith Thompson as secretary of the navy. November 16 The 15th United States Congress opens its second session. Monroe delivers the 1818 State of the Union Address.

December 1818 December 3 – Illinois is admitted to the United States as the twenty-first state. December 21 – A 1818 settlement treaty between Spain and the United States comes into force following Spain's ratification.

1819 January 1819 January – The Panic of 1819 begins as inflation grows while real estate and cotton prices decline. January 1 – Smith Thompson becomes secretary of the navy, filling the vacancy left by Benjamin Williams Crowninshield. January 4 – Alexander Hill Everett becomes chargé d'affaires to the Netherlands. January 11 – Monroe nominates William Davies to the United States District Court for the District of Georgia. January 21 – Charles Hughes becomes chargé d'affaires to Sweden. January 25 – The Senate ratifies the Treaty of 1818 with the United Kingdom.

February 1819 February 7 – George W. Campbell becomes minister to Russia. February 15 – Congressman James Tallmadge Jr. introduces an amendment that would forbid the importation of slaves to Missouri should it became a state and move toward the abolition of slavery in the region. February 17 – The Supreme Court issues its decision in Sturges v. Crowninshield. It rules that states can have their own bankruptcy laws so long as they do not contradict federal law. February 20 – Monroe nominates John G. Jackson to the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. February 22 – The Adams–Onís Treaty with Spain, which would transfer Spanish territories to the United States, is signed. February 27 – The United States signs a treaty with the Cherokee.

March 1819 March 1 – The USS Columbus is launched at Washington Navy Yard. March 2 The Steerage Act of 1819 is signed, establishing regulations for travel by sea. The Arkansas Territory (then spelled Arkansaw) is formed from the southern land of the Missouri Territory. Alabama is authorized to create a constitution in anticipation of statehood. March 3 Monroe nominates Nathaniel Pope to the United States District Court for the District of Illinois. An act is signed to promote the assimilation of Native American tribes into American culture. An act is signed to create a government in East Florida and West Florida. An act is signed directing the navy to enforce the prohibition on importing slaves. An act is passed setting out how naval ships are to be named. The 15th United States Congress adjourns its second session. March 6 – The Supreme Court issues its decision in McCulloch v. Maryland. It rules that states cannot tax the Second Bank of the United States. March 30 – Monroe begins a tour of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana.

April 1819

May 1819 May 15 – George W. Erving ends his tenure as minister to Spain. May 18 – John Forsyth becomes minister to Spain.

June 1819 June 24 – John Graham becomes minister to Portugal.

July 1819 July 6 – Monroe authorizes an expedition to the mouth of the Yellowstone River. July 24 – Thomas Sumter Jr. ends his tenure as minister to Portugal. July 30 – The United States signs a treaty with the Kickapoo.

August 1819 August 8 – Monroe concludes his tour of the southern and western states. August 30 – The United States signs a treaty with the Kickapoo.

September 1819 September 24 – The United States signs the Treaty of Saginaw with the Chippewa.

October 1819

November 1819 November 3 – Monroe appoints Theodorick Bland to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland as a recess appointment. November 24 – Monroe appoints Roger Skinner to the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York as a recess appointment.

December 1819 December 6 – The 16th United States Congress opens its first session. December 7 – Monroe delivers the 1819 State of the Union Address. December 14 – Alabama is admitted to the United States as the twenty-second state.

1820 January 1820 January 3 – Monroe nominates his recess appointments Theodorick Bland and Roger Skinner to their respective district courts.

February 1820

March 1820 March 6 – Monroe signs the Missouri Compromise, which preserves the equal ratio of slave states and free states. It allows Missouri to be admitted as a slave state and Maine to be admitted as a free state. March 15 – Maine is admitted to the United States as the twenty-third state. March 17 – Monroe declares that the federal government had guaranteed to Georgia in 1802 that Native Americans would be expelled from the state.

April 1820 April 24 – The Public Land Act of 1820 adjusts the price and minimum area of land purchases.

May 1820 May 10 – Monroe nominates Charles Tait to the United States District Court for the District of Alabama. May 15 Monroe signs the Tenure of Office Act, establishing terms of four years for many appointed positions with the option of reappointment. The 16th United States Congress adjourns its first session. May 30 – The USS Ohio is launched at New York Navy Yard.

June 1820 June 13 – John Graham ends his tenure as minister to Portugal. John James Appleton becomes chargé d'affaires ad interim. June 16 – The United States signs a treaty with the Chippewa.

July 1820 July 6 – The United States signs a treaty with the Chippewa and Ottawa. July 8 – George W. Campbell ends his tenure as minister to Russia. July 19 – The United States signs a treaty with the Kickapoo.

August 1820

September 1820 September 7 – The USS North Carolina is launched at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.