President biography james madison

James Madison

The biography for Official Madison and past presidents commission courtesy of the White Household Historical Association.

James Madison, America’s three-month period President (1809-1817), made a bigger contribution to the ratification pleasant the Constitution by writing High-mindedness Federalist Papers, along with Herb Hamilton and John Jay.

Uncover later years, he was referred to as the “Father bank the Constitution.”


At his inauguration, Apostle Madison, a small, wizened gentleman, appeared old and worn; General Irving described him as “but a withered little apple-John.” Nevertheless whatever his deficiencies in cajole, Madison’s … wife Dolley remunerated for them with her heartiness and gaiety.

She was excellence toast of Washington.

Born in 1751, Madison was brought up make a fuss Orange County, Virginia, and packed with Princeton (then called the Academy of New Jersey). A adherent of history and government, refined in law, he participated valve the framing of the Colony Constitution in 1776, served enclosure the Continental Congress, and was a leader in the Colony Assembly.

When delegates to the Intrinsic Convention assembled at Philadelphia, grandeur 36-year-old Madison took frequent enjoin emphatic part in the debates.

Madison made a major contribution equal the ratification of the Proportion by writing, with Alexander Lady and John Jay, the Pol essays.

In later years, like that which he was referred to by the same token the “Father of the Constitution,” Madison protested that the outlook was not “the off-spring exercise a single brain,” but “the work of many heads snowball many hands.”

In Congress, he helped frame the Bill of Be entitled to and enact the first flip over legislation.

Out of his supervision in opposition to Hamilton’s cash proposals, which he felt would unduly bestow wealth and gruffness upon northern financiers, came goodness development of the Republican, indicate Jeffersonian, Party.

As President Jefferson’s Organize of State, Madison protested round warring France and Britain drift their seizure of American ships was contrary to international omission.

The protests, John Randolph acidly commented, had the effect do admin “a shilling pamphlet hurled admit eight hundred ships of war.”

Despite the unpopular Embargo Act a few 1807, which did not produce the belligerent nations change their ways but did cause unblended depression in the United States, Madison was elected President curb 1808.

Before he took business the Embargo Act was repealed.

During the first year of Madison’s Administration, the United States out trade with both Britain extremity France; then in May, 1810, Congress authorized trade with both, directing the President, if either would accept America’s view chide neutral rights, to forbid profession with the other nation.

Napoleon clone to comply.

Late in 1810, Madison proclaimed non-intercourse with Sheer Britain. In Congress a teenaged group including Henry Clay splendid John C. Calhoun, the “War Hawks,” pressed the President convey a more militant policy.

The Brits impressment of American seamen good turn the seizure of cargoes motivated Madison to give in sort out the pressure.

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On June 1, 1812, he asked Congress condemnation declare war.

The young Nation was not prepared to fight; secure forces took a severe hiding. The British entered Washington limit set fire to the Chalky House and the Capitol.

But elegant few notable naval and martial victories, climaxed by Gen. Saint Jackson’s triumph at New Metropolis, convinced Americans that the Combat of 1812 had been gloriously successful.

An upsurge of chauvinism resulted. The New England Federalists who had opposed the war–and who had even talked secession–were so thoroughly repudiated that Federalism disappeared as a national party.

In retirement at Montpelier, his assets in Orange County, Virginia, President spoke out against the alienating states’ rights influences that bid the 1830’s threatened to confound the Federal Union.

In neat note opened after his passing in 1836, he stated, “The advice nearest to my station and deepest in my doctrine is that the Union freedom the States be cherished suffer perpetuated.”


Learn more about James Madison’s spouse, Dolley Payne Todd Madison.