PR4

James Madison

At a Glance

Term: 4th President of the United States (1809-1817)

Born: March 16, 1751, Port Conway, Virginia

Nickname: "Father of the Constitution"

Formal Education:College of New Jersey (now PrincetonUniversity, graduated 1771)

Religion: Episcopalian

Marriage: September 15, 1794, to Dolley Payne Todd (1768-1849)

Children: None

Career: Lawyer

Political Party: Democratic-Republican

Writings:Writings, ed. by Gaillard Hunt; The Papers of James Madison, ed. by W. T. Hutchinson, R. A. Rutland, et al.

Died: June 28, 1836, Montpelier, Orange County, Virginia

Buried:Montpelier, Virginia (family plot)

Presidential Life in Brief: Under Thomas Jefferson, Madison served as secretary of state, supporting the Louisiana Purchase and the embargo against Britain and France. Indeed, Madison shaped foreign policy during Jefferson's administration, emerging from behind the scenes in 1808 to succeed him as the fourth President of the United States.
It was not at all clear that Madison would carry the day. Jefferson's embargo of all trade with Britain and France had devastated the nation. New England states spoke of open secession from the Union. The Federalists, convinced they would ride national outrage to victory, re-nominated their 1804 contender, Charles C. Pinckney of South Carolina. Meanwhile, George Clinton, who had agreed to run as Madison's vice president, also consented to run for President! Madison swamped the opposition, winning 122 votes to Pinckney's 44. His reelection was also dramatic. Madison's nomination for a second term came just fifteen days prior to his war message to Congress, listing American grievances against Britain. Congress voted the United States into the War of 1812, largely guaranteeing Madison's reelection.
The War of 1812 amounted to a second war of independence for the new republic, and quickly helped Madison's popularity. Much of the War of 1812 centered on bloody battles against the Native American tribes that were aided by the British, such as the Creek tribe led by the notorious Tecumseh, who was finally defeated by General William Henry Harrison. In 1814 the British took the nation's new capital, torching the White House and other federal buildings. They were finally defeated at the epic battle of New Orleans by General Andrew Jackson's ragtag army, many of whom were volunteers, including free blacks and slaves, and nearly 1,000 French pirates! The victories against Tecumseh and at New Orleans revitalized the nation and earned him the esteem of his constituents. Madison's critics, who organized the Hartford Convention to protest his policies, looked like traitors to the victorious nation; their anti-war criticism further weakened the Federalist Party.
Everyone was shocked when the shy and reticent James Madison announced his marriage to the vivacious Dolley Payne Todd, who became one of the most popular and vibrant First Ladies to ever grace the White House. Dolley Madison was already familiar with her role in Washington, since she had occassionally served as Jefferson's hostess during his administration. A beautiful woman who enjoyed a party, Dolley Madison quickly earned a reputation among conservatives and political enemies, who criticized her for gambling, wearing make-up, and using tobacco. Dolley was hurt by her critics, but was gratified to keep her popularity and public acclaim long after her husband had left office.
Despite Madison's popularity and his outstanding achievements, he has traditionally been misjudged in the past as a less-than-spectacular President. Recently, however, historians have begun to pay more attention to Madison, seeing his handling of the war as similar to Lincoln's war-time management. Madison's government marshaled resources, faced down secessionist threats from New England and proved to the British the folly of fighting wars with the Americans. He established respect for American rights on the high seas, and emerged from the war with more popular support than when he was first inaugurated in 1808. Additionally, when considering the fact that he ended up on the winning side of every important issue that faced the young nation from 1776 to 1816, Madison was the most successful -- and possibly the most influential -- of all the founding fathers.

Memorable Moments

  1. The War of 1812, between the United States of America and England, lasted from 1812 to 1815. There were several causes for the U.S. declaration of war: a series of trade restrictions introduced by Britain to prevent American trade with France, the impressment (forced recruitment) of U.S. citizens into the Royal Navy, and the British military support for American Indians who were resisting expansion of the American frontier in the United States. Much of the war occurred on either the oceans or on American soil and along the coastline. In the United States, battles such as New Orleans (where Andrew Jackson gained fame for defeating the British) and the earlier successful defense of Baltimore and FortMcHenry (which inspired the lyrics of the U.S. national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner) produced a sense of pride and success over a "second war of independence" against Britain. The Treaty of Ghent, which officially ended the war, helped usher in what came to be called an "Era of Good Feelings."
  2. The Second Barbary Warand a victory for the United States brought an end to the American practice of paying tribute to the pirate states in the Mediterranean and marked the beginning of the end of the age of piracy in that region.