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The extraordinary life of James Monroe: soldier, senator, diplomat, and the last Founding Father to hold the presidency, a man who helped transform thirteen colonies into a vibrant and mighty republic. Monroe lived a life defined by revolutions. From the battlefields of the War for Independence, to his ambassadorship to France in the days of the guillotine, to his own role in the creation of Congress's partisan divide, he was a man who embodied the restless spirit of the age. He was never one to back down from a fight, whether it be with Alexander Hamilton, with whom he nearly engaged in a duel (prevented, ironically, by Aaron Burr) , or George Washington, his hero turned political opponent. When the British sacked the capital in 1814, it was Monroe, by now secretary of state, who rallied troops and volunteers to America's defense, reliving old glories.