James Madison 1809 - 1817

Born: 1751, Port Conway, VA
Died: 1836

James Madison was a small delicate man with a fierce intelligence. After serving in the Virginia Assembly and the Continental Congress, the 36-year-old lawyer played the leading role at the constitutional convention of 1787, where his skillful debates earned him the title "Father of the Constitution." He later led the Congressional effort to pass the Constitutional Amendments known as the Bill of Rights (1791).

After serving as Jefferson's Secretary of State of eight years, Madison was elected President in 1808. He tried to steer a neutral course in the ongoing Franco-British war, but, partly motivated by a desire to conquer Canada, he finally succumbed to Republican pressures and declared war on Britain in 1812. Despite widespread criticism that Madison was "unfit for war," he was re-elected the same year. Although there were notable victories, the new nation took a beating. In 1814 the British marched on Washington, burning the White House and the Capitol. Peace was restored by the Treaty of Ghent. As America entered an era of expansion and prosperity, the Federalist party, reviled for its opposition to the war, vanished from the political scene.

Fourth President
Republican