Changes

| name                = James Madison

| name                = James Madison

| nationality        = American

| nationality        = American

| image              = James Madison(cropped)(c).jpg

| image              = James Madison.jpg

| image_size          = 250px

| image_size          = 250px

| caption            = Portrait by [[John Vanderlyn]], 1816

| caption            = Portrait by John Vanderlyn, 1816

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

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

| term_start          = March 4, 1809

| term_start          = March 4, 1809

| data1              = [[Episcopal Church]]

| data1              = [[Episcopal Church]]

}}

}}

'''James Madison Jr.''' (March 16, 1751  – June 28, 1836) was a [[Founding Fathers of the United States|Founding Father]] and the fourth [[president of the United States]] from 1809 to 1817. 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=Marcelo Sanchez|date=|title=James Madison|url=https://slavery.princeton.edu/stories/james-madison|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>

 

'''James Madison Jr.''' (March 16, 1751  – June 28, 1836) was an [[United States|American]] [[Founding Fathers of the United States|Founding Father]] and the fourth [[president of the United States]] from 1809 to 1817. He was also the most important author of the [[Constitution of the United States|United States Constitution]] and a [[Slavery|slave owner]] with a large [[plantation]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Spies-Gans|first=Marcelo Sanchez|date=|title=James Madison|url=https://slavery.princeton.edu/stories/james-madison|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 in American history, with a height of {{convert|5|ft| 4|in|abbr=on|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 [[Colonel]] [[James Madison Sr.]] and Nellie Conway Madison.

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>

Madison married [[Dolley Madison|Dolley Todd]] (née Payne) on September 14, 1794 at the age of 43.<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 started his career in the [[Virginia]] state legislature. Madison learned many things from [[Thomas Jefferson]]. Madison wanted a stronger [[federal government of the United States]] than the [[Articles of Confederation]] provided. He was a member of the meeting that formed the current [[United States Constitution]]. Madison is called the "Father of the Constitution" because he helped write a large part of it and persuaded people that it was a good one.

Madison started his career in the [[Virginia]] legislature. Madison learned many things from [[Thomas Jefferson]]. Madison wanted a stronger [[federal government of the United States|federal government]] than the [[Articles of Confederation]] provided. He was a member of the [[Constitutional Convention (United States)|Constitutional Conventtion]], which formed the current [[Constitution of the United States|United States Constitution]]. Madison is called the "Father of the Constitution" because he helped write a large part of it and convinced people to pass it.

Madison was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives]].  Madison helped write the first laws for the United States. Madison also was the main writer of the [[Bill of Rights]], the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.

Madison was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]].  Madison helped write the first laws for the United States. Madison also was the main writer of the [[Bill of Rights]], the first ten amendments to the Constitution.

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]], which wanted a weak federal government.

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

Madison was selected by [[President of the United States|President]] Jefferson to be his [[Secretary of State]].<ref>{{Cite web|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.<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>

Madison was selected by his [[political party]] to be the Democratic-Republican candidate for president in 1808. He won that election and was re-elected 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|archive-date=2023-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929030005/https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/james-madison/|url-status=dead}}</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. Dolley Madison, his wife, famously saved a portrait of [[George Washington]] from the fire.<ref>{{Cite web|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 of 1812]] started while Madison was president. Madison still hoped for peace, but Congress wanted war and so he gave in, and the 61-year-old president approved a declaration of war against Britain on June 19, 1812. People who still wanted peace called it "Mr Madison's War."

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>

 

The war caused Madison to want a stronger government than he had before. While he originally was against a [[Central bank|national bank]], he decided that it was necessary to fund a war. After the charter of the First Bank of the United States expired, Madison recreated 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.<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>

Madison retired to Virginia after his second term. He died there from [[heart failure]] on June 28, 1836 at the age of 85.<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>

== James Madison Media ==

== James Madison Media ==

File:1811, Sharples, James, James Madison.jpg|Madison as a student at Princeton, portrait by [[James Sharples (portrait painter)|James Sharples]]

File:1811, Sharples, James, James Madison.jpg|Madison as a student at Princeton, portrait by [[James Sharples (portrait painter)|James Sharples]]

File:James Madison, by Charles Willson Peale, 1783.png|Madison's portrait as Congressional delegate at age 32 when he was already recognized as a contributor to politics and government. Portrait by [[Charles Willson Peale]]

File:James Madison, by Charles Willson Peale, 1783.png|Madison's portrait as congressional delegate at age 32 when he was already recognized as a contributor to politics and government. Portrait by [[Charles Willson Peale]] 1783.

File:Constitution of the United States, page 1.jpg|First page of the original handwritten copy of the [[U.S. Constitution]]

File:Constitution of the United States, page 1.jpg|First page of the original handwritten copy of the [[U.S. Constitution]]

File:Official Presidential portrait of Thomas Jefferson (by Rembrandt Peale, 1800).jpg|[[Thomas Jefferson]] founded the [[Democratic-Republican Party]] with Madison and broadly represented Southern interests.

File:Official Presidential portrait of Thomas Jefferson (by Rembrandt Peale, 1800).jpg|[[Thomas Jefferson]] founded the [[Democratic-Republican Party]] with Madison and broadly represented Southern interests.

File:Louisiana Purchase.png|The 1803 Louisiana Purchase totaled {{convert|827,987|lk=in|sqmi|km2|abbr=off|sp=us}}, doubling the size of the United States.

File:Louisiana Purchase.png|The 1803 Louisiana Purchase totaled {{convert|827,987|lk=in|sqmi|km2|abbr=off|sp=us}}, doubling the size of the United States.

File:ElectoralCollege1808.svg|Following Jefferson's presidency, Madison's 1808 electoral vote results

File:ElectoralCollege1808.svg|Following Jefferson's presidency, Madison's 1808 electoral vote results

</gallery>

</gallery>

== References ==

== References ==

[[Category:United States representatives from Virginia]]

[[Category:United States representatives from Virginia]]

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

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

[[Category:Democratic-Republican Party politicians]]

[[Category:Democratic-Republican Party politicians]]

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

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

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

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

[[Category:Slavers]]

[[Category:Slavers]]