James Madison

Madison, James (1751–1836), 4th president of the United States. Madison, called “the father of the Constitution,” was a penetrating political thinker who guided the deliberations of the Constitutional Convention. He was not a successful war president, but his last years in office inaugurated an “era of good feelings” and unprecedented economic growth.

Early life

Madison, born into a prominent plantation family of Virginia, graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1771. He planned to enter the ministry, but soon became involved in politics. In 1776, he helped draft Virginia's first constitution and its declaration of rights. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress (1780–83).

Political career

Under the Articles of Confederation, the new U.S. government was weak. Madison pushed for a stronger central authority, leaving to states only matters that concerned them individually. He drafted the Virginia Plan (also called the Randolph Plan), which was developed into the Constitution. Madison wrote many of the pro-Constitution papers known as The Federalist. During the Constitution's ratification process, many state conventions called for it to be amended to protect individual rights. Madison, elected to the House of Representatives in 1789, helped draft what became the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.

Madison helped to form the new Democratic-Republican Party, largely to oppose the fiscal policies of the Federalist Party's Alexander Hamilton, first secretary of the U.S. treasury. Until Madison left Congress in 1797, he led the new party in the House. His opposition of the Federalists' Alien and Sedition Acts helped unify his party.

As President Jefferson's secretary of state (1801–09), Madison helped the U.S. gain the Louisiana Purchase. His wife, Dolley (whom he had married in 1794), served as White House hostess for Jefferson. In the 1808 presidential election, Madison defeated Charles C. Pinckney, the Federalist candidate.

President

As president, Madison faced the same foreign-relations problem he had as secretary of state: the continuing war between France and Britain. Impressment of U.S. sailors, seizure of goods, and blockades had serious damaged U.S. shipping. Tensions arose until Congress declared war on Britain in June 1812.

The War of 1812 went badly for the U.S. Madison's popularity fell; New England Federalists opposed “Mr. Madison's War” and demanded his resignation. However, he won reelection five months after the war began. In August 1814, Madison—and the nation—suffered humiliation when British troops stormed Washington and burned the White House and the Capitol. The Treaty of Ghent, signed Dec. 24, 1814, ended the war in a stalemate. With peace, however, Madison regained his popularity. His new domestic program appeased the Federalists somewhat and helped launch a “new nationalism.”

Retirement

After leaving the presidency in 1817, Madison retired to Montpelier, his Virginia plantation. In 1826, he became rector (president) of the University of Virginia. He died at Montpelier in 1836.