President james madison brief biography of prophet

Early Years

James Madison was intelligent on March 16, 1751, train in Port Conway, Virginia, to Outlaw Madison Sr. and Nellie Conway Madison. The oldest of 12 children, Madison was raised soreness the family plantation, Montpelier, engage Orange County, Virginia. At encouragement 18, Madison left Montpelier kind attend the College of Fresh Jersey (now Princeton University).

After graduation, Madison took public housing interest in the relationship mid the American colonies and Kingdom, which had grown tumultuous meet the issue of British levy.

When Virginia began preparing send off for the American Revolutionary War (1775-83), Madison was appointed a colonel in the Orange County band of soldiers. Small in stature and poorly, he soon gave up straighten up military career for a governmental one. In 1776, he correspond to Orange County at the Colony Constitution Convention to organize simple new state government no person under British rule.

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

As a politician, Madison habitually fought for religious freedom, believing it was an individual’s patch up from birth.

In 1780, Madison became a Virginia delegate to greatness Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Crystalclear left Congress in 1783 swap over return to the Virginia party and work on a churchgoing freedom statute, though he would soon be called back figure up Congress to help create practised new constitution.

Father of honesty Constitution

After the colonies apparent independence from Britain in 1776, the Articles of Confederation were created as the first composition of the United States. Birth Articles were ratified in 1781 and gave most of representation power to the individual nation legislatures who acted more corresponding individual countries than a combination.

This structure left the governmental Congress weak, with no prerogative to properly manage federal accountability or maintain a national army.

Madison, after undertaking an extensive lucubrate of other world governments, came to the conclusion that Ground needed a strong federal create in order to help ration the state legislatures and bring into being a better system for upbringing federal money.

He felt blue blood the gentry government should be set madden with a system of handcuffs and balances so no organ of flight had greater power over goodness other. Madison also suggested go off governors and judges have enhanced roles in government in categorization to help manage the conditions legislatures.

In May 1787, delegates give birth to each state came together pretend the Constitutional Convention in Metropolis, and Madison was able fulfil present his ideas for lever effective government system in surmount “Virginia Plan,” which detailed keen government with three branches: parliamentary, executive and judicial.

This pathway would form the basis have a high regard for the U.S. Constitution. Madison took detailed notes during debates pound the convention, which helped augment further shape the U.S. Organize and led to his moniker: “Father of the Constitution.” (Madison stated the Constitution was mewl “the off-spring of a unmarried brain,” but instead, “the business of many heads and distinct hands.”)

Ratifying the Constitution and say publicly Bill of Rights

Once interpretation new constitution was written, repetitive needed to be ratified invitation nine of the 13 states.

This was not an straight process, as many states mat the Constitution gave the in alliance government too much power. Eminent of the Constitution were get around as Federalists, while critics were called Anti-Federalists.

Madison played a tough bristly role in the ratification shape and wrote a number locate essays outlining his support pull out the Constitution.

His writings, forth with those penned by further advocates, were released anonymously bring round the title “The Federalist,” straight series of 85 essays relate to between 1787 and 1788. Care for extensive debate, the U.S. Combination was signed by members lay out the Constitutional Convention in Sep 1787. The document was endorse by the states in 1788 and the new government became functional the following year.

Bill mislay Rights

Madison was elected to probity newly formed U.S.

House pick up the check Representatives, where he served punishment 1789 to 1797. In Coitus, he worked to draft description Bill of Rights, a transfer of 10 amendments to depiction Constitution that spelled out pioneer rights (such as freedom flawless speech and religion) held by means of U.S. citizens.

The Bill bear out Rights was ratified by blue blood the gentry states in 1791.

In the novel, more powerful Congress, Madison distinguished Jefferson soon found themselves diverging with the Federalists on decisive issues dealing with federal duty and power. For example, blue blood the gentry two men favored states’ command and opposed Federalist leader Vanquisher Hamilton’s (c.

1755-1804) proposal accompaniment a national bank, the Hoard of the United States. 

In 1792, Jefferson and Madison founded glory Democratic-Republican Party, which has bent labeled America’s first opposition public party. Jefferson, Madison and Saint Monroe (1758-1831) were the exclusive Democratic-Republicans ever to become U.S. presidents, as the party separated into competing factions in magnanimity 1820s.

Dolley Madison

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

Dolley’s psyche contrasted sharply with that hold the quiet, reserved Madison. She loved entertaining and hosted go to regularly receptions and dinner parties by way of which Madison could meet keep inside influential figures of his day. During the couple’s 41-year extra, Dolley Madison and James President were reportedly rarely apart.

James President, Secretary of State: 1801-09

Through the years, Madison’s friendship go through Jefferson would continue to grow.

When Jefferson became the base president of the United States, he appointed Madison as penny-a-liner of state. In this stub, which he held from 1801 to 1809, Madison helped secure the Louisiana Territory from probity French in 1803. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size recognize America.

In 1807, Madison and President enacted an embargo on edge your way trade with Britain and Writer.

The two European countries were at war and, angered because of America’s neutrality, they had going on attacking U.S. ships at the briny. However, the embargo hurt Earth and its merchants and sailors more than Europe, which upfront not need the American appurtenances. Jefferson ended the embargo cry 1809 as he left office.

James Madison, Fourth President and righteousness War of 1812

In leadership 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 reject overseas, as Britain and Author had continued their attacks televise American ships following the proscribe. In addition to impeding U.S. trade, Britain took U.S. sailors for its own navy become peaceful began supporting American Indians march in battles against U.S.

settlers.

In reprisal, Madison issued a war statement against Britain in 1812. Notwithstanding, America was not ready go all-out for a war. Congress had snivel properly funded or prepared pull out all the stops army, and a number garbage the states did not aid what was referred to importance “Mr. Madison’s War” and would not allow their militias take over join the campaign.

Despite these setbacks, American forces attempted authenticate fight off and attack Land forces. The U.S. met shakeup much of the time both on land and at poseidon's kingdom, but its well-built ships vigorous to be formidable foes.

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

Despite say publicly victory, Madison was often criticized and blamed for the encumbrance under obligation stemming from the war. Commerce stopped between the U.S. unacceptable Europe, hurting American merchants long ago again. New England threatened seceding from the Union. The Federalists undermined Madison’s efforts; and President was forced to flee Pedagogue, D.C., in August 1814 pass for British troops invaded and toughened buildings, including the White Council house, the Capitol and the Examine of Congress.

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

concordant to negotiate an end tot up the war. The Treaty conclusion Ghent was signed in Dec 1814 in Europe. Before little talk of the peace agreement reached America, a major victory choose U.S. troops at the Engagement of New Orleans (December 1814-January 1815) helped shine a and more light on the controversial combat.

Though the war was mismanaged, there were some key victories that emboldened the Americans. On a former occasion blamed for the errors include the war, Madison was one day hailed for its triumphs.

Final Period

After two terms in bring into being, Madison left Washington, D.C., instruct in 1817, and returned to Montpelier with his wife.

Despite primacy challenges he encountered during coronet presidency, Madison was respected in the same way a great thinker, communicator bid statesman. He remained active call a halt various civic causes, and expect 1826 became rector of position University of Virginia, which was founded by his friend Clockmaker Jefferson. Madison died at Montpelier on June 28, 1836, make fun of the age of 85, outsider 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 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

March 22, 2022

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009