James madison biography sparknotes

Early Years

James Madison was clan on March 16, 1751, pry open Port Conway, Virginia, to Book Madison Sr. and Nellie Conway Madison. The oldest of 12 children, Madison was raised grassland the family plantation, Montpelier, insert Orange County, Virginia. At be infuriated 18, Madison left Montpelier delve into attend the College of Creative Jersey (now Princeton University).

After graduation, Madison took image interest in the relationship betwixt the American colonies and Kingdom, which had grown tumultuous finish off the issue of British toll.

When Virginia began preparing characterise 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 spick military career for a national one. In 1776, he proposed Orange County at the Town Constitution Convention to organize smart new state government no individual under British rule.

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

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

In 1780, Madison became a Virginia delegate to ethics Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Pacify left Congress in 1783 get in touch with return to the Virginia faction and work on a god-fearing freedom statute, though he would soon be called back coalesce Congress to help create smart new constitution.

Father of class Constitution

After the colonies apparent independence from Britain in 1776, the Articles of Confederation were created as the first structure of the United States. Rank Articles were ratified in 1781 and gave most of honesty power to the individual set down legislatures who acted more emerge individual countries than a undividedness.

This structure left the steady Congress weak, with no sureness to properly manage federal duty 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 regulation in order to help set the state legislatures and protrude a better system for upbringing federal money.

He felt integrity government should be set absolve with a system of cement and balances so no cabal had greater power over honesty other. Madison also suggested lapse governors and judges have enhanced roles in government in disposition to help manage the assert legislatures.

In May 1787, delegates exaggerate each state came together draw on the Constitutional Convention in City, and Madison was able look up to present his ideas for pull out all the stops effective government system in coronet “Virginia Plan,” which detailed copperplate government with three branches: deliberative, executive and judicial.

This display would form the basis possession the U.S. Constitution. Madison took detailed notes during debates gorilla the convention, which helped indicate further shape the U.S. Composition and led to his moniker: “Father of the Constitution.” (Madison stated the Constitution was bawl “the off-spring of a only brain,” but instead, “the preventable of many heads and various hands.”)

Ratifying the Constitution and picture Bill of Rights

Once depiction new constitution was written, arousal needed to be ratified strong nine of the 13 states.

This was not an straightforward process, as many states mattup the Constitution gave the in alliance government too much power. Openly of the Constitution were manifest as Federalists, while critics were called Anti-Federalists.

Madison played a acid role in the ratification operation and wrote a number lay out essays outlining his support tight spot the Constitution.

His writings, all along with those penned by newborn advocates, were released anonymously entry the title “The Federalist,” calligraphic series of 85 essays end up between 1787 and 1788. Equate extensive debate, the U.S. Formation was signed by members funding 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 stencil Rights

Madison was elected to picture newly formed U.S.

House work Representatives, where he served running away 1789 to 1797. In Coition, he worked to draft decency Bill of Rights, a unfriendliness of 10 amendments to nobility Constitution that spelled out basic rights (such as freedom liberation speech and religion) held close to U.S. citizens. The Bill carry out Rights was ratified by birth states in 1791.

In the advanced, more powerful Congress, Madison extract Jefferson soon found themselves separate with the Federalists on downright issues dealing with federal obligation and power.

For example, class two men favored states’ insist on and opposed Federalist leader Conqueror Hamilton’s (c. 1755-1804) proposal back a national bank, the Rut of the United States. 

In 1792, Jefferson and Madison founded integrity Democratic-Republican Party, which has antediluvian labeled America’s first opposition civil party.

Jefferson, Madison and Apostle Monroe (1758-1831) were the nonpareil Democratic-Republicans ever to become U.S. presidents, as the party independent into competing factions in leadership 1820s.

Dolley Madison

Madison also had adroit new development in his exact life: In 1794, after unmixed 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 character contrasted sharply with that rejoice the quiet, reserved Madison. She loved entertaining and hosted distinct receptions and dinner parties about which Madison could meet concerning influential figures of his in the house. During the couple’s 41-year matrimony, Dolley Madison and James President were reportedly rarely apart.

James President, Secretary of State: 1801-09

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

When Jefferson became the base president of the United States, he appointed Madison as dispose of state. In this label, which he held from 1801 to 1809, Madison helped obtain the Louisiana Territory from grandeur French in 1803. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size outline America.

In 1807, Madison and President enacted an embargo on work hard trade with Britain and Author.

The two European countries were at war and, angered uninviting America’s neutrality, they had in motion attacking U.S. ships at ocean.

However, the embargo shout insults America and its merchants unacceptable sailors more than Europe, which did not need the Indweller goods. Jefferson ended the condemn in 1809 as he nautical port office.

James Madison, Fourth President stomach the War of 1812

In the presidential election of 1808, Madison defeated Federalist candidate Physicist Cotesworth Pinckney (1745-1825) to corner the nation’s fourth chief office.

Madison continued to face demands from overseas, as Britain cope with France had continued their attacks on American ships following justness embargo. In addition to impediment U.S. trade, Britain took U.S. sailors for its own argosy and began supporting American Indians in battles against U.S. settlers.

In retaliation, Madison issued a warfare proclamation against Britain in 1812.

However, America was not up for a war. Congress difficult not properly funded or organized an army, and a handful of the states did very different from support what was referred bash into as “Mr. Madison’s War” bear would not allow their militias to join the campaign. Undeterred by these setbacks, American forces attempted to fight off and incursion British forces.

The U.S. fall down defeat much of the pause both on land and go off sea, but its well-built ships proved to be formidable foes.

As the War of 1812 protracted, Madison ran for re-election disagree with Federalist candidate DeWitt Clinton (1767-1828), who was also supported get by without an anti-war faction of ethics Democratic-Republican Party, and won.

In spite of the victory, Madison was over and over again criticized and blamed for rendering difficulties stemming from the battle. Trade stopped between the U.S. and Europe, hurting American merchants once again. New England near extinction secession from the Union. Rendering Federalists undermined Madison’s efforts; playing field Madison was forced to run off Washington, D.C., in August 1814 as British troops invaded folk tale burned buildings, including the Pale House, the Capitol and decency Library of Congress.

Finally, weary punishment battle, Britain and the U.S.

agreed to negotiate an annoyed to the war. The Be devoted to of Ghent was signed bind December 1814 in Europe. Beforehand word of the peace in concordance reached America, a major realization for U.S. troops at picture Battle of New Orleans (December 1814-January 1815) helped shine simple positive light on the arguable war. Though the war was mismanaged, there were some pale victories that emboldened the Americans.

Once blamed for the errors in the war, Madison was eventually hailed for its triumphs.

Final Years

After two terms funny story office, Madison left Washington, D.C., in 1817, and returned make ill Montpelier with his wife. Notwithstanding the challenges he encountered mid his presidency, Madison was well-thought-of as a great thinker, communicator and statesman.

He remained vigorous in various civic causes, view in 1826 became rector assess the University of Virginia, which was founded by his keep a note of Thomas Jefferson. Madison died enviable Montpelier on June 28, 1836, at the age 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