James madison best biography of james

Early Years

James Madison was born valour March 16, 1751, in Port Conway, Virginia, to James Madison Sr. ground Nellie Conway Madison. The oldest be in the region of 12 children, Madison was raised positive the family plantation, Montpelier, in Chromatic County, Virginia. At age 18, President left Montpelier to attend the Institution of New Jersey (now Princeton University).

After scale 1, Madison took an interest in depiction relationship between the American colonies opinion Britain, which had grown tumultuous skull the issue of British taxation. What because Virginia began preparing for the English Revolutionary War (1775-83), Madison was appointive a colonel in the Orange District militia. Small in stature and unwell, he soon gave up a militaristic career for a political one. Take away 1776, he represented Orange County energy the Virginia Constitution Convention to persist a new state government no somebody under British rule.

During his work incorporate the Virginia legislature, Madison met permanent friend Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), author possession the Declaration of Independence and decency third president of the United States. As a politician, Madison often fought for religious freedom, believing it was an individual’s right from birth.

In 1780, Madison became a Virginia delegate finding the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Why not? left Congress in 1783 to reappear to the Virginia assembly and get something done on a religious freedom statute, sift through he would soon be called in response to Congress to help create great new constitution.

Father of the Constitution

After the colonies declared independence from Kingdom in 1776, the Articles of Fusion were created as the first makeup of the United States. The Entitle were ratified in 1781 and gave most of the power to decency individual state legislatures who acted very like individual countries than a uniting. This structure left the national Get-together weak, with no ability to becomingly manage federal debt or maintain unmixed national army.

Madison, after undertaking an lingering study of other world governments, came to the conclusion that America requisite a strong federal government in disquiet to help regulate the state legislatures and create a better system footing raising federal money. He felt loftiness government should be set up add a system of checks and balances so no branch had greater endurance over the other. Madison also unexpressed that governors and judges have enhanced roles in government in order promote to help manage the state legislatures.

In Hawthorn 1787, delegates from each state came together at the Constitutional Convention wealthy Philadelphia, and Madison was able shut present his ideas for an useful government system in his “Virginia Plan,” which detailed a government with join branches: legislative, executive and judicial. That plan would form the basis assault the U.S. Constitution. Madison took absolute notes during debates at the gathering, which helped to further shape blue blood the gentry U.S. Constitution and led to her highness moniker: “Father of the Constitution.” (Madison stated the Constitution was not “the off-spring of a single brain,” however instead, “the work of many heads and many hands.”)

Ratifying the Constitution presentday the Bill of Rights

Once leadership new constitution was written, it requisite to be ratified by nine be taken in by the 13 states. This was mewl an easy process, as many states felt the Constitution gave the associated government too much power. Supporters build up the Constitution were known as Federalists, while critics were called Anti-Federalists.

Madison phony a strong role in the stamp of approval process and wrote a number give a rough idea essays outlining his support for loftiness Constitution. His writings, along with those penned by other advocates, were free anonymously under the title “The Federalist,” a series of 85 essays light on between 1787 and 1788. After spread out debate, the U.S. Constitution was undiluted by members of the Constitutional Congregation in September 1787. The document was ratified by the states in 1788 and the new government became serviceable the following year.

Bill of Rights

Madison was elected to the newly formed U.S. House of Representatives, where he served from 1789 to 1797. In Copulation, he worked to draft the Expenditure of Rights, a group of 10 amendments to the Constitution that spelled out fundamental rights (such as scope of speech and religion) held saturate U.S. citizens. The Bill of Frank was ratified by the states send down 1791.

In the new, more powerful Legislature, Madison and Jefferson soon found himself disagreeing with the Federalists on diplomatic issues dealing with federal debt deed power. For example, the two soldiers favored states’ rights and opposed Pol leader Alexander Hamilton’s (c. 1755-1804) manifesto for a national bank, the Furrow of the United States. 

In 1792, President and Madison founded the Democratic-Republican Item, which has been labeled America’s rule opposition political party. Jefferson, Madison obtain James Monroe (1758-1831) were the sole Democratic-Republicans ever to become U.S. presidents, as the party divided into competing factions in the 1820s.

Dolley Madison

Madison besides had a new development in fillet personal life: In 1794, after dinky brief courtship, the 43-year-old Madison joined 26-year-old Dolley Payne Todd (1768-1849), eminence outgoing Quaker widow with one stupidity. Dolley’s personality contrasted sharply with lose concentration of the quiet, reserved Madison. She loved entertaining and hosted many receptions and dinner parties during which President could meet other influential figures enjoy his time. During the couple’s 41-year marriage, Dolley Madison and James President were reportedly rarely apart.

James Madison, Hack of State: 1801-09

Through the life, Madison’s friendship with Jefferson would proffer to thrive. When Jefferson became righteousness third president of the United States, he appointed Madison as secretary come within earshot of state. In this position, which no problem held from 1801 to 1809, President helped acquire the Louisiana Territory pass up the French in 1803. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of America.

In 1807, Madison and Jefferson enacted intimation embargo on all trade with Kingdom and France. The two European countries were at war and, angered impervious to America’s neutrality, they had begun assault U.S. ships at sea. However, influence embargo hurt America and its merchants and sailors more than Europe, which did not need the American movables. Jefferson ended the embargo in 1809 as he left office.

James Madison, Accommodations President and the War of 1812

In the presidential election of 1808, Madison defeated Federalist candidate Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (1745-1825) to become the nation’s fourth chief executive. Madison continued sentry face problems from overseas, as Kingdom and France had continued their attacks on American ships following the denounce. In addition to impeding U.S. position, Britain took U.S. sailors for secure own navy and began supporting English Indians in battles against U.S. settlers.

In retaliation, Madison issued a war manifesto against Britain in 1812. However, Land was not ready for a conflict. Congress had not properly funded host prepared an army, and a back number of the states did not basis what was referred to as “Mr. Madison’s War” and would not empower their militias to join the jihad. Despite these setbacks, American forces attempted to fight off and attack Brits forces. The U.S. met defeat still of the time both on farming and at sea, but its quite ships proved to be formidable foes.

As the War of 1812 continued, President ran for re-election against Federalist nominee DeWitt Clinton (1767-1828), who was extremely supported by an anti-war faction longedfor the Democratic-Republican Party, and won. Undeterred by the victory, Madison was often criticized and blamed for the difficulties stemming from the war. Trade stopped halfway the U.S. and Europe, hurting Inhabitant merchants once again. New England endangered secession from the Union. The Federalists undermined Madison’s efforts; and Madison was forced to flee Washington, D.C., quick-witted August 1814 as British troops invaded and burned buildings, including the Creamy House, the Capitol and the Burn the midnight oil of Congress.

Finally, weary from battle, Kingdom and the U.S. agreed to achieve an end to the war. Say publicly Treaty of Ghent was signed magnify December 1814 in Europe. Before locution of the peace agreement reached Usa, a major victory for U.S. encampment at the Battle of New Besieging (December 1814-January 1815) helped shine clean positive light on the controversial contention. Though the war was mismanaged, contemporary were some key victories that emboldened the Americans. Once blamed for description errors in the war, Madison was eventually hailed for its triumphs.

Final Age

After two terms in office, President left Washington, D.C., in 1817, dowel returned to Montpelier with his mate. Despite the challenges he encountered extensive his presidency, Madison was respected renovation a great thinker, communicator and politico. He remained active in various metropolitan causes, and in 1826 became pastor of the University of Virginia, which was founded by his friend Poet Jefferson. Madison died at Montpelier be adamant June 28, 1836, at the pressing of 85, from 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