James Madison

Madison, James

(1751–1836) fourth U.S. president; born in Port Conway, Va. After his education at the College of New Jersey (later Princeton), he returned to Virginia and in 1774 assumed the first of several positions in state government. In 1780 he began three years as a state delegate to the Congress under the Articles of Confederation, where he advocated a stronger national government. As a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1784–86), he secured passage of Thomas Jefferson's landmark religious freedom bill. A primary mover behind the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Madison imprinted many of his ideas on the final document; he stressed the need for a strong central government; he skillfully managed many of the necessary compromises; although not the official secretary, he kept the most complete record of the convention; and he would be instrumental in adding the Bill of Rights; for these contributions, history has dubbed him "father of the Constitution." Although Madison joined with Federalists Alexander Hamilton and John Jay in contributing to the Federalist papers, he moved thereafter to the more liberal Jeffersonian Republican side. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1789–97) and then as President Jefferson's secretary of state (1801–09). Elected president (1809–17), he was unable to resist the forces, both domestic and foreign, that led to the War of 1812, which produced the burning of Washington and no real victory. Nonetheless, he left office in 1817 enjoying considerable popularity. Living on his estate at Montpelier (Va.), he was Jefferson's successor as rector of the University of Virginia (1826–36). He opposed such doctrines as nullification and peaceful secession that would eventually lead to the Civil War.

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, by John S. Bowman. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995. Reproduced with permission.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Madison, James

 

Born Mar. 16, 1751, in Port Conway, Va.; died June 28, 1836, in Montpelier, Va. American statesman.

Madison took part in the War for Independence (1775-83). He was the author of a proposal that formed the basis of the American Constitution (1787). In a series of articles written for the press, Madison defended the new constitution and advocated broadening the power of the central government. After first supporting the Federalists, Madison later joined the Republicans and headed their right wing in Congress. From 1789 to 1797 he was a member of the House of Representatives. From 1801 to 1809 he served as secretary of state in the administration of T. Jefferson. He was president of the USA from 1809 to 1817. In the first period of his presidency Madison was occupied primarily with foreign policy problems connected with the Anglo-American War of 1812-14. During his second term he advocated the general development of American industry.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.