James Madison

Served: 1809 – 1817, 4th President

Political Party: Democratic-Republican

Public Service:
– member of the Virginia House of Burgesses
– colonel in the Virginia Militia
– delegate from Virginia to the Congress of the Confederation
– organizer of the Constitutional Convention
– Member from Virginia of the U.S. House of Representatives
– leader in writing, passing the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution
– Secretary of State

Accomplishments while President:
– declared war on Great Britain, resulting in the War of 1812
– tried but failed to invade Canada
– kept taxes low and reduced the national debt
– created the Second Bank of the United States
– Tariff Act of 1816 set high taxes on imported goods
– built the Cumberland Road
– transferred 23 million acres of Indian land to the U.S.

Personal Details:

Born – March 16, 1751
Occupation – Lawyer, tobacco planter, slave-owner
Spouse – Dolley
Residence – Montpelier
Nickname – Father of the Constitution; Founder Father
Died – June 28, 1836

Fun Facts:
– designed the basic framework for the U.S. Constitution; primary author of the Bill of Rights
– one of two future presidents that signed the U.S. Constitution
– was forced to flee Washington D.C. when the British captured and burned it
– first President to wear full pants instead of knee britches
– was the smallest President, at only 5 ft 4 inches tall and 100 pounds
– never had any other job than working in government

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