President James Madison

James Madison was the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. He is remembered as the "Father of the Constitution," contributed to the writing of the Federalist Papers, and was the first president to declare war on another country. Madison helped shape America into the country it is today, but who was he? What else did he accomplish? Let's explore the life of President James Madison and find out!

James Madison Before His Presidency

James Madison was born in Orange County, Virginia, on March 16, 1751. His family was wealthy, which offered Madison more education opportunities. In 1769 he went to the College of New Jersey, known as Princeton today. He graduated in 1771. In 1776, Madison was voted into the Virginia State Legislation.

Four years later, Madison was the youngest member of the Continental Congress at 36. The Continental Congress was the government of the thirteen colonies from 1774 to 1789. In 1774, Madison was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates.

Fig. 1 - James Madison. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

"Father of the US Constitution"

In 1787, Madison introduced the Virginia Plan to Congress. Many of the ideas from the Virginia Plan would be used in the Constitution. Madison proposed a three-branch government: Legislature, Executive, and Judicial, with two bodies: the House of Representatives and the House of Senate.

Congress accepted these branches and houses and then further defined their roles. What they could not agree on was representation. The North believed that slaves should not count in the number of representatives the South received, but the South disagreed. Madison proposed that slaves would count for one house but not the other, but this idea was struck down. They eventually agreed on the Three-Fifths Compromise.

Madison was considered to be the "Father of the Constitution," even though he would have disagreed. Madison believed that many people worked on the Constitution and that they deserved recognition.

Federalist Papers

Madison and Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers. The papers were published in two different New York State magazines. Their goal was to convince the American people to accept the Constitution over the previous Articles of Confederation.

Bill of Rights

Madison was a member of Congress, while George Washington was president in 1789. At first, he opposed the Bill of Rights, believing it would not be enough to guarantee the independence of the people. With the help of his long-time ally, Thomas Jefferson, Madison wrote and codified the Bill of Rights.

Democratic-Republican Party

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison opposed Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and John Adams. Both sides had different political goals and ideas. Jefferson formed the Republican-Democratic Party, the Jeffersonian Republicans, and Washington's side was called Federalists. Let's look at the below chart that compares both parties.

The Democratic-Republicans wanted the states to be able to govern themselves, while the Federalists supported a strong centralized government. The Federalists convinced George Washington to form a national bank and for the national government to assume the state's debts. The Democratic-Republicans opposed this because they believed it put power into the hands of wealthy Northerners. Lastly, Jefferson's party favored France, while the other favored Britain.

In 1794, Madison became the leader of the Democratic-Republican party, and in 1801, they got Jefferson elected president.

The Jefferson Administration

Jefferson made Madison his Secretary of State. Then in 1803, Jefferson wanted to buy Florida and access the Mississippi River's mouth. During the purchase deal with Napoleon Bonaparte, France also offered to sell Louisiana. Jefferson thought that he could not buy it as it was unconstitutional. He believed that this would give too much power to the president.

Fig 2: Louisiana Purchase Map

Jefferson knew that this deal was too great to pass up on, so the Constitution had to be amended to give him the ability to make the purchase. Madison disagreed. Madison convinced Jefferson that the Louisiana Purchase was great for the new country of America. The Senate voted to expand the president's power, and Jefferson followed through with the purchase.

James Madison Timeline: Presidency

James Madison had two very significant events during his presidency. First, he declared war on England in 1812. This was the first war that America had entered since it was created. Secondly, he reinstated the National Bank. Let's explore those events!

Fig. 3 - James Madison. Source: Wikimedia Commons

James Madison: Facts During Presidency

Despite the unpopularity of the Embargo Act, Madison won the next election. His presidency lasted from 1809 to 1817. Madison upheld the new Embargo Act and would not allow trade with France or England. Some congressmen thought Madison was too easy on France and England, who still attacked American merchant vessels.

War of 1812

England violated maritime laws by imprisoning American sailors and had given weapons to Native Americans. America blamed England for Native American hostility. America also wanted to expand, and England prevented that. In 1812, war broke out.

Fig 4: British Raid on the Chesapeake Bay

In 1814, the Presidential Mansion (the predecessor of the White House) was burned down along with Washington, DC. America was still very young and not yet ready for war. It lost the war of 1812, but American morale was boasted as America had some victories during the fight. Americans believed the war was a success and likened it to a "Second War for Independence." The war ended in 1815 with the Treaty of Ghent.

In 1811, President Madison allowed the National Banks to close. Madison opposed the concept of Washington's presidency, so he simply allowed it to expire. The ease that the National Bank allowed the federal government access to the capital would've been beneficial during the war. Unfortunately, Madison didn't realize this until the war had ended. He reinstated the National Bank in 1816.

President James Madison's Cabinet Members

Madison had many cabinet members during his time as president. Let's look at the chart below to see who did what!

James Madison After His Presidency

James Madison retired in 1817. He went to live on his plantation Montpelier where he would manage his slaves. Madison assisted Jefferson with Jefferson's college, the University of Virginia, and was on the Board of Visitors. He took over the college in 1826 as a rector. Madison died of heart failure on his plantation in 1836.

James Madison Accomplishments

Madison is one of America's founding fathers because he shaped the country. He heavily assisted with writing the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. He used the Federalist Papers to influence the public perception of the Constitution. Madison is the person who labeled all of the Federalists Papers because they were not signed when they were initially published. His contributions to America's history, culture, and foundation are still felt today.