James Madison, the Bill of Rights, and the War of 1812
James Madison, the Bill of Rights, and the War of 1812
Learn about the statesmanship of James Madison, including his contributions to the framing and ratification of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and his leadership of the U.S. during the War of 1812.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Transcript
NARRATOR: James Madison—the fourth president of the United States—is known as the "father of the Constitution." He also sponsored the Bill of Rights and led the nation through the War of 1812, the second war between the U.S. and Great Britain.
Madison's first major role in politics was as a delegate to the Virginia state convention in 1776. There he met Thomas Jefferson, who would become a lifelong political ally and friend. Together they wrote the Virginia state constitution, which became the model for the U.S. Constitution.
In 1787 Madison joined the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. He and the Virginia governor presented the Virginia Plan, which provided the basic framework and guiding principles of the Constitution. Madison, along with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, wrote a series of essays known as "The Federalist Papers" to win support for the Constitution.
Madison was elected to the House of Representatives in 1789 in the first congressional elections. He led a movement to add a bill of rights to the Constitution in order to protect the newly won freedoms of American citizens. Ten of the amendments he wrote passed and became the first constitutional amendments, known as the Bill of Rights.
Madison believed that the federal government should not have more power than the states, an opinion he shared with Jefferson. Together they formed the Republican Party, the forerunner to the present-day Democratic Party. When Jefferson became president, he selected Madison to be secretary of state.
Following Jefferson's second term, Madison ran for the presidency and won overwhelmingly. His presidency was largely defined by the War of 1812, the nation's first major war.
Great Britain had been capturing American ships, taking the cargo, and forcing the sailors to serve in the British navy. Pressured by a group known as the War Hawks, Madison urged Congress to declare war. He signed the declaration of war in June 1812, shortly before his election to a second term.
Near the end of the war, in August 1814, British troops neared Washington. Many families fled, but Madison's wife, Dolley, stood firm at the White House. When the British were within miles of the capital, she finally agreed to leave. Dolley gathered important documents and other valuable items to take with her, including a famous portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart. Her quick thinking saved these items from being destroyed. When the British entered Washington a few hours later, they burned the White House, the Capitol, and many other federal buildings.
Through actions like this, Dolley Madison helped define the role of the first lady. Many of the responsibilities people now associate with the first lady started with her. She even inspired the use of the term "first lady" to be used for presidents' wives.
At the end of Madison's second term, he and Dolley returned to Montpelier, their estate in Virginia. After James died in 1836, Dolley returned to Washington, where she remained influential in the social scene.
Madison's first major role in politics was as a delegate to the Virginia state convention in 1776. There he met Thomas Jefferson, who would become a lifelong political ally and friend. Together they wrote the Virginia state constitution, which became the model for the U.S. Constitution.
In 1787 Madison joined the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. He and the Virginia governor presented the Virginia Plan, which provided the basic framework and guiding principles of the Constitution. Madison, along with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, wrote a series of essays known as "The Federalist Papers" to win support for the Constitution.
Madison was elected to the House of Representatives in 1789 in the first congressional elections. He led a movement to add a bill of rights to the Constitution in order to protect the newly won freedoms of American citizens. Ten of the amendments he wrote passed and became the first constitutional amendments, known as the Bill of Rights.
Madison believed that the federal government should not have more power than the states, an opinion he shared with Jefferson. Together they formed the Republican Party, the forerunner to the present-day Democratic Party. When Jefferson became president, he selected Madison to be secretary of state.
Following Jefferson's second term, Madison ran for the presidency and won overwhelmingly. His presidency was largely defined by the War of 1812, the nation's first major war.
Great Britain had been capturing American ships, taking the cargo, and forcing the sailors to serve in the British navy. Pressured by a group known as the War Hawks, Madison urged Congress to declare war. He signed the declaration of war in June 1812, shortly before his election to a second term.
Near the end of the war, in August 1814, British troops neared Washington. Many families fled, but Madison's wife, Dolley, stood firm at the White House. When the British were within miles of the capital, she finally agreed to leave. Dolley gathered important documents and other valuable items to take with her, including a famous portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart. Her quick thinking saved these items from being destroyed. When the British entered Washington a few hours later, they burned the White House, the Capitol, and many other federal buildings.
Through actions like this, Dolley Madison helped define the role of the first lady. Many of the responsibilities people now associate with the first lady started with her. She even inspired the use of the term "first lady" to be used for presidents' wives.
At the end of Madison's second term, he and Dolley returned to Montpelier, their estate in Virginia. After James died in 1836, Dolley returned to Washington, where she remained influential in the social scene.