JAMES MADISON: Father of the Constitution; Genius of the American Republic Provided by Randy Huwa, Director of Communications Montpelier Foundation

James Madison, the first child of James and Nelly Madison, was born at midnight, March 16, 1751 in Port Conway, VA, at the home of his maternal grandparents. After his baptism, James and his mother returned to their family plantation, Montpelier, in Orange County, VA. James Madison was educated at home and at Virginia boarding schools until he was eighteen, when he attended the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). Unlike many other Virginians, Madison did not attend the College of William and Mary, reflecting Madison’s belief that the tidewater climate would be bad for his delicate health. It was at Princeton that Madison’s patriotic ideals came to life as he joined marches and demonstrations against British sympathizers. The studious young Madison completed his college education in just two years but stayed nearly an extra year to pursue independent studies under John Witherspoon, the president of the College.

Returning to Montpelier in the spring of 1772, Madison was unsure of his future. He considered – and rejected – a career in law, religion, and business. His political activism began in 1774, as tensions increased between the colonies and the British government, when he became a member of the Orange County Committee of Safety. In 1776, Madison was elected as a delegate from Orange County to the Virginia Convention and served as a member of the first House of Delegates. During the Revolution, he also served as a member of the Continental Congress, setting national policy and legislation. These experiences, as well as his scholarly interests, led Madison to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia, where he successfully proposed the creation of a strong central government. Madison led the effort to ratify the Constitution in his native Virginia and across the nation, and joined with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay in writing The Federalist, a collection of essays illustrating the strength of the proposed Constitution. James Madison’s accomplishments during this period earned him the title “Father of the Constitution.”

After ensuring the ratification of the Constitution, Madison continued as a leading member of the new federal government. He was elected to the First Congress, where, as a member of the House of Representatives, he led the fight to secure ratification of the first ten amendments to the Constitution – the Bill of Rights. He was instrumental in writing legislation to establish the executive branch and worked closely with President George Washington to translate the principles of the Constitution into a functioning government.

In 1794, while in Philadelphia representing Virginia in Congress, Madison asked his old Princeton friend Aaron Burr to arrange an introduction to the young widow Dolley Payne Todd. Within a few months of this introduction, James Madison proposed to Dolley. The two wed on September 15, 1794. In 1801, President Thomas Jefferson, a friend and fellow Virginian, appointed James Madison Secretary of State. Madison served as Secretary of State for two terms, before he was elected the fourth President of the United States of America. He served as President for two terms (1809-1817) and led the country through the War of 1812.

After completing his terms as president, Madison and Dolley retired to Montpelier. At home in Orange County, Madison continued to play an active role in Virginia and national politics. He participated in the Virginia Constitution Convention of 1829, as well as serving as Rector at the University of Virginia. James Madison died on June 28, 1836 and was buried the next day at the family cemetery on the grounds of Montpelier. Although a reserved man who was shy of public attention, James Madison was a strong leader with inspiring political ideals. A close friend since their introduction in 1776, Thomas Jefferson described the character of James Madison:

“I can say conscientiously that I do not know in the world a man of purer integrity, more dispassionate, disinterested, and devoted to genuine Republicanism; nor could I in the whole scope of America and Europe point out an abler head.”