Editing James Monroe (section)

=== Marriage and law practice ===
On February 16, 1786, Monroe married [[Elizabeth Monroe|Elizabeth Kortright]] (1768–1830), who came from New York City's high society, at [[Trinity Church (Manhattan)|Trinity Church]] in Manhattan.<ref>{{cite web |title=First Lady Biography: Elizabeth Monroe |url=http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509090316/http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=5 |archive-date=May 9, 2012 |access-date=September 23, 2012}}</ref> The marriage produced three children, [[Eliza Monroe Hay|Eliza]] in 1786,<ref name=":10" /> James in 1799<ref name=":3" /> and [[Maria Hester Monroe Gouverneur|Maria]] in 1802.<ref>{{Harvnb|Unger|2009|pp=147–149}}</ref> Although Monroe was raised in the Anglican faith, the children were educated according to the teachings of the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Holmes |first=David L. |date=2003 |title=The Religion of James Monroe |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26440827 |journal=The Virginia Quarterly Review |volume=79 |issue=4 |pages=589–606 |jstor=26440827 |issn=0042-675X}}</ref> After a brief honeymoon on [[Long Island, New York]], the Monroes returned to New York City to live with her father until Congress adjourned:<ref>{{harvnb|Unger|2009|pp=63–64, 84}}</ref>

In the fall of 1786, Monroe resigned from Congress and moved to his uncle Jones' house in [[Fredericksburg, Virginia]], where he successfully passed the bar exam and became an attorney for the state.<ref name="Bell_1992">{{cite book |last=Bell |first=William Gardner |url=https://history.army.mil/books/sw-sa/SWSA-Fm.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214152450/http://www.history.army.mil/books/Sw-SA/SWSA-Fm.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 14, 2007 |title=Secretaries of War and Secretaries of the Army: Portraits and Biographical Sketches |date=1992 |publisher=Center of Military History, United States Army |isbn=9780000033031 |location=Washington, DC |page=34}}</ref> In 1787, Monroe won election to another term in the Virginia House of Delegates. Though he had become outspoken in his desire to reform the Articles, he was unable to attend the [[Constitutional Convention (United States)|Philadelphia Convention]] due to his work obligations.<ref>{{harvnb|Unger|2009|pp=74–75}}</ref> In 1788, Monroe became a delegate to the [[Virginia Ratifying Convention]], which voted on the adoption of the United States Constitution.<ref name=":10">{{Harvnb|Hart|2005|pp=17–18}}</ref> In Virginia, the struggle over the ratification of the proposed Constitution involved more than a simple clash between federalists and [[anti-federalists]]. Virginians held a full spectrum of opinions about the merits of the proposed change in national government, and those who held the middle ground in the ideological struggle became the central figures. Led by Monroe and [[Edmund Pendleton]], these "federalists who are for amendments" criticized the absence of a [[bill of rights]] and worried about surrendering taxation powers to the central government.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Kukla |first=Jon |year=1988 |title=A Spectrum of Sentiments: Virginia's Federalists, Antifederalists, and 'Federalists Who Are for Amendments |journal=Virginia Magazine of Reality History and Biography |volume=96 |issue=3 |pages=276–296}}</ref> Monroe called for the Constitution to include guarantees regarding free navigation on the Mississippi River and to give the federal government direct control over the militia in case of defense. In doing so, he wanted to prevent the creation of a standing army, which proved to be a critical point of contention between the federalists and the anti-federalists. Monroe also opposed the [[United States Electoral College|Electoral College]], which he viewed as too corruptible and susceptible to state interests, and favored direct election of the president.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ammon|1971|pp=72–73}}</ref> After Madison reversed his decision and promised to pass a bill of rights, the Virginia Convention ratified the Constitution by a narrow vote, though Monroe himself voted against it.<ref>{{harvnb|Unger|2009|pp=81–82}}</ref>