James Madison was born on March 16, 1751, at Belle Grove near Port Conway, Virginia, to Nelly and James Madison Sr. He was the eldest of twelve children. Because his mother returned to her parents’ plantation for childbirth, Madison was born at Belle Grove, though he was raised primarily on his father’s plantation in Orange County, Virginia. Over time, his father expanded the estate to nearly 2,000 acres in the Piedmont region, becoming one of the area’s largest landowners and slaveholders.

From the ages of eleven to sixteen, young “Jemmy” Madison studied at the Innes plantation in the Tidewater region of Virginia under the supervision of Scottish tutor Donald Robertson. There he learned mathematics, geography, and classical and modern languages, particularly Latin, in which he would later excel. At sixteen, Madison returned to Montpelier and began two years of preparatory studies with Reverend Thomas Martin in anticipation of university education.

In 1769, Madison enrolled at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). He graduated in 1771 and remained until the spring of 1772 for advanced study in Hebrew and political philosophy under the college president John Witherspoon. Madison became fluent in Hebrew during this period, a testament to his exceptional scholarly discipline.

In 1774, Madison joined the Committee of Safety, a pre-revolutionary patriotic body overseeing local militias. Although poor health prevented him from active combat, he was commissioned as a captain in the Orange County militia in October 1775. During the American Revolutionary War, Madison served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1776 to 1779 and became a close collaborator of Thomas Jefferson.

Madison had witnessed the persecution of Baptists in Virginia for practicing their faith without authorization from the established Anglican Church. Working closely with Baptist leader Elijah Craig, he became a strong advocate for religious liberty. This advocacy culminated in the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, drafted with Thomas Jefferson and enacted in 1786, which disestablished the Church of England and removed state authority over religion.

A political philosopher and statesman, James Madison is widely regarded as the principal architect and defender of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For his central role in drafting and promoting the Constitution, he is known as the “Father of the Constitution.” Physically, Madison was the smallest U.S. president, standing approximately 163 cm tall and weighing under 45 kilograms.

Madison established his lifelong home, Montpelier, in Orange County, Virginia, where he owned and managed hundreds of enslaved people. He served as a member of both the Virginia legislature and the Continental Congress, the predecessor to the Constitutional Convention. After the Convention, he emerged as one of the leading figures advocating ratification of the Constitution nationwide and in Virginia.

Together with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, Madison authored the Federalist Papers, one of the most important works defending the U.S. Constitution. His constitutional views evolved over time: initially favoring a strong national government, later emphasizing states’ rights, and ultimately settling on a balanced position between the two.

In 1789, Madison became a leading member of the first United States House of Representatives, where he drafted many foundational laws. He authored the first ten amendments to the Constitution, earning recognition as the “Father of the Bill of Rights.” He worked closely with President George Washington in establishing the new federal government.

After breaking with Alexander Hamilton and the Federalist Party in 1791, Madison co-founded the Democratic-Republican Party with Thomas Jefferson. In response to the Alien and Sedition Acts, Madison and Jefferson drafted the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, asserting that states could deem unconstitutional federal laws invalid.

During Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, Madison served as the 5th United States Secretary of State from May 2, 1801, to March 3, 1809. In this role, he helped execute the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the nation’s territory.

James Madison succeeded Thomas Jefferson as President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1809, to March 4, 1817. After diplomatic protests and trade embargoes against Great Britain and Ireland failed, Madison led the nation into the War of 1812. The war exposed weaknesses in the U.S. military and financial systems, prompting Madison—despite earlier opposition—to support a stronger national government, a stronger army, and the creation of the Second Bank of the United States.

After leaving the presidency, Madison retired to Montpelier, where he devoted himself to issues of education, agriculture, and slavery. He became a leading supporter of the principles later associated with the Monroe Doctrine and, in his final years, wrote a political testament titled Advice to My Country.

James Madison died on June 28, 1836, at the age of 85, at Montpelier, Virginia, United States.

Books:
1791 – United States Bill of Rights

Source: Biyografiler.com