Changes

| order=4th [[President of the United States]]

| order=4th [[President of the United States]]

| term_start=March 4, 1809

| term_start=March 4, 1809

| term_end=March 3, 1817<!--Prior to the passage of the 20th Amendment, presidential terms ended at 23:59:59 on March 3. -->

| term_end=March 4, 1817<!--Prior to the passage of the 20th Amendment, presidential terms ended at 23:59:59 on March 3. -->

| predecessor=[[Thomas Jefferson]]

| predecessor=[[Thomas Jefferson]]

| successor=[[James Monroe]]

| successor=[[James Monroe]]

| birth_date={{birth date|1751|3|16}}

| birth_date={{birth date|1751|3|16}}

| birth_place=[[Port Conway]], [[Virginia]], [[United States|U.S.]]

| birth_place=[[Port Conway]], [[Virginia]], [[United States|U.S.]]

| height={{height|ft=5|in=4}}

| height={{height|ft=5|in=4}}

| party=[[United States Democratic-Republican Party|Democratic-Republican]]

| party=[[United States Democratic-Republican Party|Democratic-Republican]]

| vicepresident=[[George Clinton (politician)|George Clinton]]; [[Elbridge Gerry]]

| vicepresident={{plainlist|

* [[George Clinton (vice president)|George Clinton]] (1809–12)

* [[Elbridge Gerry]] (1813–14)

| signature=James Madison sig.svg

| signature=James Madison sig.svg

}}

}}

'''James Madison Jr.''' (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836) was the fourth [[President of the United States]]. He was also the most important author of the [[United States Constitution]]. Madison was the shortest President, with a height of {{convert|5|ft| 4|in|abbr=off|sp=us}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/people/james-madison.htm|title=James Madison|publisher=NPS.org|accessdate=November 4, 2013}}</ref>

'''James Madison Jr.''' (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836) was the fourth [[president of the United States]]. He was also the most important author of the [[United States Constitution]] and a [[Slavery|slaveowner]] with a big [[plantation]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Spies-Gans|first=Paris Amanda|date=|title=James Madison|url=https://slavery.princeton.edu/stories/james-madison|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-10-27|website=Princeton & Slavery|language=en|quote=In February 1801 Madison Sr. died, leaving Montpelier and more than one hundred slaves to James Madison, as his eldest son. The following week, Thomas Jefferson became President of the United States and appointed Madison as his Secretary of State. Madison managed Montpelier from afar, yet took no concrete steps toward freeing his slaves or changing the plantation system. Upon becoming the fourth President of the United States in 1809, Madison brought slaves to serve him in the White House. One of these slaves was ten-year-old Paul Jennings, whose memoir about White House life—A Colored Man’s Reminiscences of James Madison—was published in 1865.}}</ref> Madison was the shortest president, with a height of {{convert|5|ft| 4|in|abbr=off|sp=us}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/people/james-madison.htm|title=James Madison|publisher=NPS.org|accessdate=November 4, 2013}}</ref>

== Family ==

== Family ==

James Madison Jr. was the eldest son of Col. [[James Madison Sr.]] and Nellie Conway Madison.

James Madison Jr. was the eldest son of Col. [[James Madison Sr.]] and Nellie Conway Madison.

Madison married Dolley Todd (née Payne) on  April 18, 1794.

Madison married Dolley Todd (née Payne) on  April 18, 1794.<ref>{{Cite web|title=James Madison {{!}} Biography, Founding Father, & Presidency|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Madison|access-date=2021-08-14|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref>

== Political life ==

== Political life ==

Madison and Jefferson were good friends and helped create the [[Democratic-Republican Party]] who wanted a weak federal government.

Madison and Jefferson were good friends and helped create the [[Democratic-Republican Party]] who wanted a weak federal government.

Madison was selected by Jefferson to be his [[Secretary of State]].

Madison was selected by Jefferson to be his [[Secretary of State]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Editors|first=History com|title=James Madison|url=https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/james-madison|access-date=2021-08-14|website=HISTORY|language=en}}</ref>

== Presidency ==

== Presidency ==

Madison was selected by his political party to be the Democratic-Republican candidate for president in 1808.  He won that election and the next election in 1812.

Madison was selected by his political party to be the Democratic-Republican candidate for president in 1808.  He won that election and the next election in 1812.<ref>{{Cite web|title=James Madison|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/james-madison/|access-date=2021-08-14|website=The White House|language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[War of 1812]] started while Madison was president. Madison still hoped for peace, but Congress wanted war so he gave in and approved a declaration of war against Britain on June 18, 1812. People who still wanted peace called it "Mr Madison's War". Madison and his family were forced to flee in 1814 when British forces seized control of Washington D.C and burned the White House, and many other buildings, to the ground. Dolly Madison, his wife, famously saved a portrait of [[George Washington]] from the fire.

The [[War of 1812]] started while Madison was president. Madison still hoped for peace, but Congress wanted war so he gave in and approved a declaration of war against Britain on June 18, 1812. People who still wanted peace called it "Mr Madison's War". Madison and his family were forced to flee in 1814 when British forces seized control of Washington D.C and burned the White House, and many other buildings, to the ground. Dolley Madison, his wife, famously saved a portrait of [[George Washington]] from the fire.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Editors|first=Biography com|title=James Madison|url=https://www.biography.com/us-president/james-madison|access-date=2021-08-14|website=Biography|language=en-us}}</ref>

The war caused Madison to want a stronger government than he had before. While he originally was against a [[national bank]], he realized that it was necessary and it was necessary for funding a war.  When the charter of the national bank expired, Madison renewed it.

The war caused Madison to want a stronger government than he had before. While he originally was against a [[national bank]], he realized that it was necessary and it was necessary for funding a war.  When the charter of the national bank expired, Madison renewed it.<ref>{{Cite web|title=James Madison - People - Department History - Office of the Historian|url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/madison-james|access-date=2021-08-14|website=history.state.gov}}</ref>

== Later life ==

== Later life ==

Madison retired to Virginia after his second term.  Madison died on June 28, 1836.

Madison retired to Virginia after his second term.  Madison died on June 28, 1836.<ref>{{Cite web|title='Father of the Constitution' James Madison Dies, 1836|url=https://newseumed.org/tools/artifact/father-constitution-james-madison-dies-1836|access-date=2021-08-14|website=NewseumED|language=en}}</ref>

== References ==

== References ==

[[Category:Founding Fathers of the United States]]

[[Category:Founding Fathers of the United States]]

[[Category:Democratic Republican party (US) politicians]]

[[Category:Democratic Republican party (US) politicians]]

[[Category:19th-century American politicians]][[Category:18th-century American politicians]]

[[Category:19th-century American politicians]]

[[Category:18th-century American politicians]]

[[Category:Slavers]]