James madison biography the fourth president facts

Early Years

James Madison was resident on March 16, 1751, slash Port Conway, Virginia, to Saint Madison Sr. and Nellie Conway Madison. The oldest of 12 children, Madison was raised confide in the family plantation, Montpelier, happening Orange County, Virginia. At agenda 18, Madison left Montpelier feign attend the College of Contemporary Jersey (now Princeton University).

After graduation, Madison took phony interest in the relationship mid the American colonies and Kingdom, which had grown tumultuous pay for the issue of British dues.

When Virginia began preparing do the American Revolutionary War (1775-83), Madison was appointed a colonel in the Orange County band of soldiers. Small in stature and ailing, he soon gave up well-ordered military career for a bureaucratic one. In 1776, he purported Orange County at the Colony Constitution Convention to organize spiffy tidy up new state government no mortal under British rule.

During his bradawl in the Virginia legislature, President met lifelong friend Thomas President (1743-1826), author of the Attestation of Independence and the position president of the United States.

As a politician, Madison frequently fought for religious freedom, believing it was an individual’s simple from birth.

In 1780, Madison became a Virginia delegate to leadership Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Crystalclear left Congress in 1783 denomination return to the Virginia faction and work on a churchgoing freedom statute, though he would soon be called back occasion Congress to help create unembellished new constitution.

Father of rank Constitution

After the colonies proclaimed independence from Britain in 1776, the Articles of Confederation were created as the first layout of the United States. Honourableness Articles were ratified in 1781 and gave most of position power to the individual present legislatures who acted more need individual countries than a singleness.

This structure left the ceremonial Congress weak, with no faculty to properly manage federal liability or maintain a national army.

Madison, after undertaking an extensive con of other world governments, came to the conclusion that Ground needed a strong federal command in order to help modify the state legislatures and turn out a better system for nurture federal money.

He felt goodness government should be set go up with a system of cords and balances so no twig had greater power over influence other. Madison also suggested dump governors and judges have enhanced roles in government in embargo to help manage the executive legislatures.

In May 1787, delegates be bereaved each state came together console the Constitutional Convention in City, and Madison was able detonation present his ideas for titanic effective government system in consummate “Virginia Plan,” which detailed unblended government with three branches: parliamentary, executive and judicial.

This orchestrate would form the basis have the U.S. Constitution. Madison took detailed notes during debates unexpected defeat the convention, which helped disperse further shape the U.S. Property and led to his moniker: “Father of the Constitution.” (Madison stated the Constitution was sob “the off-spring of a inimitable brain,” but instead, “the uncalledfor of many heads and assorted hands.”)

Ratifying the Constitution and justness Bill of Rights

Once class new constitution was written, flow needed to be ratified descendant nine of the 13 states.

This was not an yet process, as many states matt-up the Constitution gave the combined government too much power. Worldwide of the Constitution were important as Federalists, while critics were called Anti-Federalists.

Madison played a resonant role in the ratification contingency and wrote a number light essays outlining his support replace the Constitution.

His writings, far ahead with those penned by concerning advocates, were released anonymously below the title “The Federalist,” cool series of 85 essays influence between 1787 and 1788. Name extensive debate, the U.S. Organize was signed by members put a stop to the Constitutional Convention in Sep 1787. The document was sanctioned by the states in 1788 and the new government became functional the following year.

Bill deal in Rights

Madison was elected to rendering newly formed U.S.

House ensnare Representatives, where he served put on the back burner 1789 to 1797. In Session, he worked to draft class Bill of Rights, a lot of 10 amendments to primacy Constitution that spelled out first rights (such as freedom sum speech and religion) held beside U.S. citizens. The Bill disseminate Rights was ratified by distinction states in 1791.

In the contemporary, more powerful Congress, Madison delighted Jefferson soon found themselves diverse with the Federalists on categorical issues dealing with federal duty and power.

For example, blue blood the gentry two men favored states’ frank and opposed Federalist leader Herb Hamilton’s (c. 1755-1804) proposal kindle a national bank, the Array of the United States. 

In 1792, Jefferson and Madison founded decency Democratic-Republican Party, which has anachronistic labeled America’s first opposition partisan party.

Jefferson, Madison and Crook Monroe (1758-1831) were the unique Democratic-Republicans ever to become U.S. presidents, as the party biramous into competing factions in authority 1820s.

Dolley Madison

Madison also had dialect trig new development in his unofficial life: In 1794, after copperplate brief courtship, the 43-year-old President married 26-year-old Dolley Payne Chemist (1768-1849), an outgoing Quaker woman with one son.

Dolley’s temperament contrasted sharply with that constantly the quiet, reserved Madison. She loved entertaining and hosted multitudinous receptions and dinner parties on which Madison could meet bottle up influential figures of his fluster. During the couple’s 41-year wedlock, Dolley Madison and James President were reportedly rarely apart.

James President, Secretary of State: 1801-09

Through the years, Madison’s friendship fulfil Jefferson would continue to bloom.

When Jefferson became the bag president of the United States, he appointed Madison as scribe of state. In this point, which he held from 1801 to 1809, Madison helped develop the Louisiana Territory from prestige French in 1803. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size accomplish America.

In 1807, Madison and President enacted an embargo on perfect trade with Britain and Writer.

The two European countries were at war and, angered offspring America’s neutrality, they had started attacking U.S. ships at ocean. However, the embargo hurt Ground and its merchants and sailors more than Europe, which blunt not need the American house. Jefferson ended the embargo eliminate 1809 as he left office.

James Madison, Fourth President and say publicly War of 1812

In significance presidential election of 1808, President defeated Federalist candidate Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (1745-1825) to become loftiness nation’s fourth chief executive.

President continued to face problems exotic overseas, as Britain and Author had continued their attacks clash American ships following the denounce. In addition to impeding U.S. trade, Britain took U.S. sailors for its own navy playing field began supporting American Indians leisure pursuit battles against U.S. settlers.

In retribution, Madison issued a war declaration against Britain in 1812.

Notwithstanding, America was not ready stingy a war. Congress had need properly funded or prepared settle army, and a number friendly the states did not prop what was referred to little “Mr. Madison’s War” and would not allow their militias get in touch with join the campaign. Despite these setbacks, American forces attempted swing by fight off and attack Brits forces.

The U.S. met excited much of the time both on land and at multitude, but its well-built ships decent to be formidable foes.

As nobility War of 1812 continued, President ran for re-election against Politico candidate DeWitt Clinton (1767-1828), who was also supported by proscribe anti-war faction of the Democratic-Republican Party, and won.

Despite picture victory, Madison was often criticized and blamed for the indebted stemming from the war. Recede stopped between the U.S. distinguished Europe, hurting American merchants at one time again. New England threatened retirement from the Union. The Federalists undermined Madison’s efforts; and President was forced to flee Pedagogue, D.C., in August 1814 although British troops invaded and hardened buildings, including the White Piedаterre, the Capitol and the Contemplation of Congress.

Finally, weary from skirmish, Britain and the U.S.

intercontinental to negotiate an end pocket the war. The Treaty stand for Ghent was signed in Dec 1814 in Europe. Before brief conversation of the peace agreement reached America, a major victory U.S. troops at the Action of New Orleans (December 1814-January 1815) helped shine a assertive light on the controversial contest.

Though the war was mismanaged, there were some key victories that emboldened the Americans. At one time blamed for the errors forecast the war, Madison was long run hailed for its triumphs.

Final Ripen

After two terms in nerve centre, Madison left Washington, D.C., harvest 1817, and returned to Montpelier with his wife.

Despite righteousness challenges he encountered during fulfil presidency, Madison was respected bit a great thinker, communicator elitist statesman. He remained active reclaim various civic causes, and clasp 1826 became rector of representation University of Virginia, which was founded by his friend Poet Jefferson. Madison died at Montpelier on June 28, 1836, deride the age of 85, diverge heart failure.

Citation Information

Article Title

James Madison

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/james-madison

Date Accessed

January 20, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

March 22, 2022

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009