James Madison
March 15, 1751 – 1836 at the age of 85.
He was the oldest of twelve children. Therefore, he inherited all of his father’s land and claimed Virginia throughout his life.
Madison studied with various intelligent men in preparation to go to the College of New Jersey. He studied a variety of subjects and especially law, but he never passed the bar, however, he still worked as a lawyer.
He married Dolly Madison in 1794.
He was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses and a friend of Thomas Jefferson. Madison did not favor the Articles of the confederation and he strongly advocated for a new constitution. He served in the newly formed House of Representatives from 1789 – 1797.
Along with Thomas Jefferson, Madison helped to form the Democrat-Republican or Jeffersonian Party. This party was against the development of a National banking system and supported a more agrarian society. Also with Jefferson he helped to write the United States Constitution. He is often thought of as the “Father of the Constitution”. Madison knew that the Constitution needed more than its original document, so he then helped to formulate the Bill of Rights.
He was the sixth President of the United States from 1809 – 1817.
During his two terms in office, the British again attacked the new country in 1812 because our military had occupied the town in Canada now known as Toronto and because of British were seizing cargos in the Atlantic.
Madison died afraid that he had not explained himself appropriately. He even tried to change some of his letters and documents to change the course of history.
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