Transcript Madison Notes - Reading Community Schools

#4 James Madison
1809-1817
“The Great Little Madison”
Born: March 16, 1751 in
Port Conway Virginia
Parents: James and Nelly
Rose (Conway)
Wife: Dorothea (Dolly)
Dandridge
Children: None, but 2
stepson’s from his
wife’s previous
marriage.
Background
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Madison was born to a wealthy family of
Virginia.
His father was a tobacco planter, church
official, and local public servant.
His mother was the daughter of a wealthy
planter.
Both of his parents were of English heritage.
Both parents were encouraging of James,
who was the oldest of 12 children.
Montpelier
James Madison’s Estate
Early Life and Young Adulthood
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James Madison was a bookish young man,
who received his earliest education from a
private teacher.
 While most young Virginia gentlemen of his
era went to the College of William and Mary
in Williamsburg, Madison went to the College
of New Jersey, now Princeton.
 There he studied Latin, Greek, Mathematics,
Philosophy, Rhetoric, Science, and
Geography, and graduated at the age of 20!
Early Life and Young Adulthood
Continued
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Madison studied Hebrew and Political
Philosophy for one year as a graduate
student, but returned home for health
reasons.
 While studying law a tremendous amount,
Madison is never admitted to the bar,
although he practices law as a young man.
 Madison defends Baptists preachers for
practicing without a license, and helps draft
the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.
Marriage
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Madison married his
wife Dolly when he was
43 years old. She was
17 years his junior, and
had already been
widowed.
Dolly had a vivid
personality, and was a
good hostess. (She
even gambled!)
By all accounts the
marriage was a happy
one.
Personality
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Madison was only Five
Feet, Four Inches in
height, making him the
shortest president in
history.
Madison was very shy,
but he did have skill as
an orator.
He was a bachelor until
he was 43, and most
thought he would stay
one.
Political Career
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1775 commissioned a colonel in the Orange
County Militia, but sees know combat.
1776-1777 Member of the Virginia
Legislature.
1777 Elected to Virginia State Council
1778 Member of Executive Council to direct
Virginia’s activities in the Revolution.
1780-1783 Member of Continental Congress
1784-1786 Member of Virginia Legislature
Political Career Continued
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1786-1788 Member of Continental Congress.
During this time he attended the Philadelphia
Convention, where he proposed the “Virginia
Plan”, which was the foundation of the
Constitution.
 During this period, Madison began writing
The Federalist essays.
 1789-1797 Member of the House of
Representatives. He also developed the Bill
of Rights, to placate the anti-federalists.
Political Career Pt. 3
1799-1800 Returns to Virginia
Legislature.
 1801-1809 Secretary of State under
Thomas Jefferson, during which time he
helps with the Louisiana Purchase, and
backs the disastrous Embargo Act.
 1809-1817 President of the United
States
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Presidency
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Adams had a strange Presidency, in which
he, like Jefferson, seemed to contradict his
views.
 His first few years were largely uneventful.
 He let the First Bank of the United States
expire, and vetoed a bill to create a new one
in 1815.
 By the end of the year though, he requested
the creation of a new bank, mostly because it
was necessary to finance the War of 1812.
War of 1812: Madison’s Biggest
Challenge
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In the spring of 1812, Madison decides to end
trade with Great Britain.
The British begin again the seizing of
American ships.
On the American frontier, settlers believe the
British are arming Indians, and aiding them in
attacking homes and farms.
War Hawks in congress, led by Henry Clay of
Kentucky, and John C. Calhoun of South
Carolina, urged war against Britain.
On June 18th 1812, the U.S. declared war.
War of 1812 Continued
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The War of 1812 lasted from 1812 until 1815, and
ended in a stalemate after the signing of the Treaty of
Ghent.
 During the war, the United States was invaded for a
time by the British, who burned the Capital and the
White House. Dolly Madison rescued important
paintings and documents from the White House.
 President Madison was the first and only president to
engage in combat when he took command of an
artillery battery at the Battle of Bladensburg.
 Only the British unfounded fears of getting cut off
from their supplies stopped the embarrassing
invasion
War of 1812: Mixed Results
Good:
1. U.S. Independence
was ensured.
2. The U.S. military had a
few moments of
success.
3. The Indian coalition of
Tecumseh was
destroyed.
4. The U.S. lost no
territory.
Bad:
1. Washington captured.
2. The British blockade of
the U.S. cost millions
of dollars.
3. Over 1,500 U.S. vessels
were seized.
4. The New England
states essentially sat
out the war, and
debated succession.
Famous Images of the War of
1812
After the War
Madison was forced to accept Hamilton’s
arguments for a national bank, a strong
standing army and navy, and an efficient
taxation system based on tariffs, which all
turned out to be necessary.
 Madison did veto a bill that would provide
federal support for internal improvements
such as bridges, roads, and canals.
 Second Barbary War ends tribute payments
to Pirates in North Africa
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Madison’s Legacy
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Madison is considered to be one of the most
important of the Founding Fathers, and was the chief
architect of the constitution which has governed the
U.S. for well over 200 years.
As a president, Madison largely limited the power of
the executive branch, as he intended to do, with the
exception being his acceptance of the Second Bank
of the United States.
Madison was not a good wartime president, but the
“Era of Good Feelings” that began at the end of his
presidency made him popular as he left office.
Later Years and Death
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Madison followed
Jefferson as rector
of U.VA.
 He served at the
Virginia
Constitutional
Convention in 1829.
 Madison died at the
age of 85, the last
Founding Father to
die.