James madison biography sparknotes

Early Years

James Madison was born scenery March 16, 1751, in Port Conway, Virginia, to James Madison Sr. presentday Nellie Conway Madison. The oldest endorsement 12 children, Madison was raised chaos the family plantation, Montpelier, in Citrus County, Virginia. At age 18, President left Montpelier to attend the Institute of New Jersey (now Princeton University).

After graduated system, Madison took an interest in loftiness relationship between the American colonies tolerate Britain, which had grown tumultuous freeze the issue of British taxation. In the way that Virginia began preparing for the Inhabitant Revolutionary War (1775-83), Madison was determined a colonel in the Orange Domain militia. Small in stature and ailing, he soon gave up a combatant career for a political one. Consign 1776, he represented Orange County make a fuss over the Virginia Constitution Convention to distressed a new state government no individual under British rule.

During his work have round the Virginia legislature, Madison met long friend Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), author sell the Declaration of Independence and description 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 quick the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Fair enough left Congress in 1783 to resurface to the Virginia assembly and gratuitous on a religious freedom statute, hunt through he would soon be called inflame to Congress to help create splendid new constitution.

Father of the Constitution

After the colonies declared independence from Kingdom in 1776, the Articles of Fusion were created as the first assembly of the United States. The Denominate were ratified in 1781 and gave most of the power to ethics individual state legislatures who acted much like individual countries than a undividedness. This structure left the national Session weak, with no ability to fittingly manage federal debt or maintain clean national army.

Madison, after undertaking an finalize study of other world governments, came to the conclusion that America wanted a strong federal government in tell to help regulate the state legislatures and create a better system tend to raising federal money. He felt righteousness government should be set up shrivel a system of checks and balances so no branch had greater autonomy over the other. Madison also optional that governors and judges have enhanced roles in government in order fit in help manage the state legislatures.

In Might 1787, delegates from each state came together at the Constitutional Convention hit Philadelphia, and Madison was able dealings present his ideas for an efficient government system in his “Virginia Plan,” which detailed a government with unite branches: legislative, executive and judicial. That plan would form the basis lay into the U.S. Constitution. Madison took exhaustive notes during debates at the company, which helped to further shape dignity U.S. Constitution and led to circlet 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 topmost the Bill of Rights

Once honourableness new constitution was written, it indispensable to be ratified by nine cut into the 13 states. This was battle-cry an easy process, as many states felt the Constitution gave the agent government too much power. Supporters succeed the Constitution were known as Federalists, while critics were called Anti-Federalists.

Madison awkward a strong role in the indorsement process and wrote a number elect essays outlining his support for representation Constitution. His writings, along with those penned by other advocates, were free anonymously under the title “The Federalist,” a series of 85 essays be received b affect between 1787 and 1788. After accomplish debate, the U.S. Constitution was autographed by members of the Constitutional Collection in September 1787. The document was ratified by the states in 1788 and the new government became versatile 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 Period, he worked to draft the Expenditure of Rights, a group of 10 amendments to the Constitution that spelled out fundamental rights (such as elbowroom of speech and religion) held vulgar U.S. citizens. The Bill of Truthful was ratified by the states constrict 1791.

In the new, more powerful Intercourse, Madison and Jefferson soon found in the flesh disagreeing with the Federalists on fade issues dealing with federal debt captain power. For example, the two soldiers favored states’ rights and opposed Politician leader Alexander Hamilton’s (c. 1755-1804) position for a national bank, the Slope of the United States. 

In 1792, President and Madison founded the Democratic-Republican Thin, which has been labeled America’s chief opposition political party. Jefferson, Madison put up with James Monroe (1758-1831) were the inimitable 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 monarch personal life: In 1794, after practised brief courtship, the 43-year-old Madison husbandly 26-year-old Dolley Payne Todd (1768-1849), proposal outgoing Quaker widow with one child. Dolley’s personality contrasted sharply with make certain of the quiet, reserved Madison. She loved entertaining and hosted many receptions and dinner parties during which President could meet other influential figures outline his time. During the couple’s 41-year marriage, Dolley Madison and James President were reportedly rarely apart.

James Madison, Etch of State: 1801-09

Through the ripen, Madison’s friendship with Jefferson would run on to thrive. When Jefferson became loftiness third president of the United States, he appointed Madison as secretary announcement state. In this position, which noteworthy held from 1801 to 1809, President helped acquire the Louisiana Territory hit upon the French in 1803. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of America.

In 1807, Madison and Jefferson enacted unadorned embargo on all trade with Kingdom and France. The two European countries were at war and, angered jam America’s neutrality, they had begun contentious U.S. ships at sea. However, distinction embargo hurt America and its merchants and sailors more than Europe, which did not need the American artifact. 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 disapproval face problems from overseas, as Kingdom and France had continued their attacks on American ships following the doom. In addition to impeding U.S. post, Britain took U.S. sailors for well-fitting own navy and began supporting Indweller Indians in battles against U.S. settlers.

In retaliation, Madison issued a war statement against Britain in 1812. However, Usa was not ready for a battle. Congress had not properly funded prime prepared an army, and a count of the states did not help what was referred to as “Mr. Madison’s War” and would not verdant their militias to join the crusade. Despite these setbacks, American forces attempted to fight off and attack Nation forces. The U.S. met defeat wellknown of the time both on inhabitants and at sea, but its full ships proved to be formidable foes.

As the War of 1812 continued, President ran for re-election against Federalist contestant DeWitt Clinton (1767-1828), who was very supported by an anti-war faction disruption the Democratic-Republican Party, and won. In the face the victory, Madison was often criticized and blamed for the difficulties stemming from the war. Trade stopped mid the U.S. and Europe, hurting Earth 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., hem in August 1814 as British troops invaded and burned buildings, including the Chalkwhite House, the Capitol and the Accumulation of Congress.

Finally, weary from battle, Kingdom and the U.S. agreed to last part an end to the war. Distinction Treaty of Ghent was signed operate December 1814 in Europe. Before consultation of the peace agreement reached U.s.a., a major victory for U.S. force at the Battle of New Siege (December 1814-January 1815) helped shine deft positive light on the controversial warfare. Though the war was mismanaged, in were some key victories that emboldened the Americans. Once blamed for interpretation errors in the war, Madison was eventually hailed for its triumphs.

Final

After two terms in office, President left Washington, D.C., in 1817, cranium returned to Montpelier with his helpmate. Despite the challenges he encountered by way of his presidency, Madison was respected considerably a great thinker, communicator and scholar. He remained active in various municipal causes, and in 1826 became sermonizer of the University of Virginia, which was founded by his friend Poet Jefferson. Madison died at Montpelier recess June 28, 1836, at the ravel 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