James Madison

Background

April 16, 1751 - June 28, 1836

Oldest of 12 children; only 7 survived to adulthood

Virginia tobacco plantation owner

Married to Dolly Madison; 1 stepson

Jefferson’s protege; helped with religious freedom

Father of the Constitutional Convention; youngest delegate who attended

The Fourth President

Madison ran as the Democratic-Republican candidate in the election of 1808 after Jefferson’s second term was up.

He easily defeated the Federalist candidate as their political party had almost completely disintegrated by time of the election.

During Madison’s presidency, leftover Federalists began to join the Democratic-Republican party but rivalries within the party ultimately resulted in our modern political parties.

Neutrality -A Deal

When Madison took office, he tried a new approach to protecting American ships. He offered France and Britain a deal: if you stop attacking our ships, we’ll stop trading with your enemy.

Napoleon promptly accepted the deal but gave his navy secret orders to continue attacking any American ships headed for British ports.

Meanwhile, Britain was still seizing and attacking U.S. ships and impressing sailors at sea.

Battle of Tippecanoe

While Madison worked to maintain neutrality and avoid war, the British finally went too far.

On November 7, 1811, Tecumseh, the Shawnee Indian Chief, and his brother, the Prophet, fought against a militia force led by Indiana governor William Henry Harrison at the Battle of Tippecanoe Creek.

After the fighting was over, Harrison’s men found British guns on the battlefield. Americans were outraged at this and demanded war against Britain.

War Hawks

Several young congressman from the South and West, including Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, were so eager for war, they were nicknamed “War Hawks”.

They argued that war with Britain would drive the British out of Canada, making the frontier safer for western settlers. Losses at sea, national pride, and desire to make the frontier safe were cause enough to make Madison forget neutrality and declare war.

War of 1812

In 1812, 1813, and again in 1814, American forces crossed into Canada but were forced to turn back.

Chief Tecumseh fought in the war on the side of the British; he was killed in a battle.

In August 1814, a British army invaded Washington, D.C. and burned several buildings including the Capitol and White House; President Madison had to flee for his life.

American Revolution Part 2

Star Spangled Banner

Next, the British attacked Baltimore, Maryland. On September 13, an American lawyer named Francis Scott Key watched as the British bombarded Fort McHenry, which guarded the city’s harbor.

When dawn broke, Key was thrilled to see that the American flag still waved over the fort, signifying that the United States still held control of the fort. Inspired by what he saw, he wrote a poem called “The Defense of Fort McHenry,” which became the lyrics to “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Battle of New Orleans

Two days before their loss at Baltimore, a British fleet had surrendered to Americans forces. News of the defeat weakened Britain’s desire to continue war.

Since news took significant time to travel, British commanders in America launched another invasion; this time, their target was New Orleans.

The city was defended by General Andrew Jackson and a rag-tag army of 7,000 militia, free African Americans, Indians, and pirates.

Victory

On January 8, 1815, more than 7,500 British troops marched confidently into battle where Jackson’s troops met them with deadly fire. The battlefield quickly turned into a “sea of blood.” Roughly 2,000 British soldiers were killed or wounded, compared to only 20 Americans.

The Battle of New Orleans was the greatest American victory of the war but it was also unnecessary since two weeks earlier, American and British diplomats had signed a peace treaty in Ghent, Belgium (Treaty of Ghent).

Results

Although both sides claimed victory, neither really won the war and the treaty did not address any of the issues that even led to the fighting.

Still, the war resulted in weakened resistance from the natives, who were eventually driven out of the Ohio Valley. Secondly, national pride in the United States surged, including the use of our flag as a symbol of that pride. Finally, the reputation of the Federalists -who opposed the war- never recovered and two of the war’s heroes later became presidents.

Wise WordsKnowledge will forever Knowledge will forever

govern ignorance; and a govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their people who mean to be their

own governors must arm own governors must arm themselves with the power themselves with the power

which knowledge gives.which knowledge gives.

All men having All men having power ought to be power ought to be

distrusted to a distrusted to a certain degree.certain degree.

If men were If men were angels, no angels, no

government government would be would be

necessary.necessary.

Final Years

After Madison’s two terms in office, he retired to Montpelier, his tobacco plantation in Virginia. His mental and physical health began to fade. He worried about his debts, and even more, his legacy. He began to revise his letters and papers and withheld publication of these, including his notes from the Constitutional Convention, until his death.

Madison died in 1836 at the age of eighty-five.

President MadisonReflection

• Assessing President Madison’s decisions as president, was James Madison’s presidency a success? How is the nation better or worse at the end of his presidency?

• Imagine you are James Madison’s chief advisor during his presidency, what advice would you have given him? If you were him, what would you have done differently?