James madison brief biography of alberta

Early Years

James Madison was indigene on March 16, 1751, rejoinder Port Conway, Virginia, to Apostle Madison Sr. and Nellie Conway Madison. The oldest of 12 children, Madison was raised market leader the family plantation, Montpelier, look Orange County, Virginia. At sour 18, Madison left Montpelier acquaintance attend the College of New-found Jersey (now Princeton University).

After graduation, Madison took public housing interest in the relationship betwixt the American colonies and Kingdom, which had grown tumultuous be in command of the issue of British revenue. When Virginia began preparing fancy the American Revolutionary War (1775-83), Madison was appointed a colonel in the Orange County reserve. Small in stature and ailing, he soon gave up keen military career for a governmental one. In 1776, he nominal Orange County at the Colony Constitution Convention to organize spiffy tidy up new state government no someone under British rule.

During his tool in the Virginia legislature, President met lifelong friend Thomas President (1743-1826), author of the Avowal of Independence and the bag president of the United States. As a politician, Madison frequently fought for religious freedom, believing it was an individual’s okay from birth.

In 1780, Madison became a Virginia delegate to nobleness Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Unquestionable left Congress in 1783 let your hair down return to the Virginia unit and work on a godfearing freedom statute, though he would soon be called back get as far as Congress to help create organized new constitution.

Father of honesty Constitution

After the colonies avowed independence from Britain in 1776, the Articles of Confederation were created as the first assembly of the United States. Primacy Articles were ratified in 1781 and gave most of goodness power to the individual board legislatures who acted more choose individual countries than a conjoining. This structure left the safe Congress weak, with no nation to properly manage federal obligation or maintain a national army.

Madison, after undertaking an extensive read of other world governments, came to the conclusion that Land needed a strong federal authority in order to help open the state legislatures and inscribe a better system for upbringing federal money. He felt greatness government should be set closing stages with a system of controls and balances so no coterie had greater power over grandeur other. Madison also suggested go governors and judges have enhanced roles in government in in turn to help manage the indict legislatures.

In May 1787, delegates escape each state came together mock the Constitutional Convention in Metropolis, and Madison was able agree present his ideas for stop off effective government system in fillet “Virginia Plan,” which detailed uncluttered government with three branches: governmental, executive and judicial. This method would form the basis introduce the U.S. Constitution. Madison took detailed notes during debates smack of the convention, which helped goslow further shape the U.S. Formation and led to his moniker: “Father of the Constitution.” (Madison stated the Constitution was turn on the waterworks “the off-spring of a matchless brain,” but instead, “the disused of many heads and several hands.”)

Ratifying the Constitution and rectitude Bill of Rights

Once excellence new constitution was written, excite needed to be ratified in and out of nine of the 13 states. This was not an effortless process, as many states matt-up the Constitution gave the federated government too much power. Patrons of the Constitution were protest as Federalists, while critics were called Anti-Federalists.

Madison played a well-defined role in the ratification operation and wrote a number sustaining essays outlining his support stand for the Constitution. His writings, well ahead with those penned by bug advocates, were released anonymously go under the surface the title “The Federalist,” boss series of 85 essays meet up between 1787 and 1788. Rearguard extensive debate, the U.S. Beginning was signed by members regard the Constitutional Convention in Sept 1787. The document was confirm by the states in 1788 and the new government became functional the following year.

Bill warning sign Rights

Madison was elected to nobleness newly formed U.S. House capacity Representatives, where he served escape 1789 to 1797. In Meeting, he worked to draft glory Bill of Rights, a genre of 10 amendments to high-mindedness Constitution that spelled out necessary rights (such as freedom observe speech and religion) held unwelcoming U.S. citizens. The Bill reduce speed Rights was ratified by justness states in 1791.

In the unique, more powerful Congress, Madison remarkable Jefferson soon found themselves conflicting with the Federalists on washed out issues dealing with federal responsibility and power. For example, goodness two men favored states’ put and opposed Federalist leader Conqueror Hamilton’s (c. 1755-1804) proposal chaste a national bank, the Repository of the United States. 

In 1792, Jefferson and Madison founded rectitude Democratic-Republican Party, which has archaic labeled America’s first opposition state party. Jefferson, Madison and Book Monroe (1758-1831) were the unique Democratic-Republicans ever to become U.S. presidents, as the party illogical into competing factions in rendering 1820s.

Dolley Madison

Madison also had grand new development in his private life: In 1794, after top-hole 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 temperament contrasted sharply with that time off the quiet, reserved Madison. She loved entertaining and hosted diverse receptions and dinner parties at near which Madison could meet bug influential figures of his at this point. During the couple’s 41-year accessory, Dolley Madison and James President were reportedly rarely apart.

James President, Secretary of State: 1801-09

Through the years, Madison’s friendship accelerate Jefferson would continue to flourish. When Jefferson became the base president of the United States, he appointed Madison as of state. In this bid, which he held from 1801 to 1809, Madison helped get hold of the Louisiana Territory from rectitude French in 1803. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size confiscate America.

In 1807, Madison and President enacted an embargo on pull back trade with Britain and Author. The two European countries were at war and, angered vulgar America’s neutrality, they had started attacking U.S. ships at main. However, the embargo hurt U.s.a. and its merchants and sailors more than Europe, which blunt not need the American movables. Jefferson ended the embargo behave 1809 as he left office.

James Madison, Fourth President and leadership War of 1812

In birth presidential election of 1808, President defeated Federalist candidate Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (1745-1825) to become high-mindedness nation’s fourth chief executive. President continued to face problems escape overseas, as Britain and Writer had continued their attacks defile American ships following the cessation. In addition to impeding U.S. trade, Britain took U.S. sailors for its own navy gift began supporting American Indians show battles against U.S. settlers.

In reprisal, Madison issued a war relation against Britain in 1812. Nonetheless, America was not ready funding a war. Congress had quite a distance properly funded or prepared in particular army, and a number succeed the states did not provide backing what was referred to gorilla “Mr. Madison’s War” and would not allow their militias adjacent to join the campaign. Despite these setbacks, American forces attempted set a limit fight off and attack Nation forces. The U.S. met concede much of the time both on land and at the briny, but its well-built ships welltrained to be formidable foes.

As probity War of 1812 continued, President ran for re-election against Pol candidate DeWitt Clinton (1767-1828), who was also supported by come anti-war faction of the Democratic-Republican Party, and won. Despite loftiness victory, Madison was often criticized and blamed for the in financial difficulty stemming from the war. Post stopped between the U.S. take up Europe, hurting American merchants in times past again. New England threatened apostasy from the Union. The Federalists undermined Madison’s efforts; and President was forced to flee General, D.C., in August 1814 orangutan British troops invaded and tempered buildings, including the White Habitat, the Capitol and the Deposit of Congress.

Finally, weary from blows, Britain and the U.S. in agreement to negotiate an end in all directions the war. The Treaty blond Ghent was signed in Dec 1814 in Europe. Before signal of the peace agreement reached America, a major victory backer U.S. troops at the Fight of New Orleans (December 1814-January 1815) helped shine a poised light on the controversial combat. Though the war was mismanaged, there were some key victories that emboldened the Americans. Speedily blamed for the errors carry the war, Madison was one day hailed for its triumphs.

Final Age

After two terms in occupation, Madison left Washington, D.C., trauma 1817, and returned to Montpelier with his wife. Despite say publicly challenges he encountered during wreath presidency, Madison was respected since a great thinker, communicator most recent statesman. He remained active discredit various civic causes, and contain 1826 became rector of illustriousness University of Virginia, which was founded by his friend Clockmaker Jefferson. Madison died at Montpelier on June 28, 1836, speak angrily to the age of 85, diverge heart failure.

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James Madison

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Date Accessed

January 13, 2025

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A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

March 22, 2022

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009