Facts, information and articles about James Madison, the fourth U.S. President

James Madison Facts

Born

3/16/1751

Died

6/28/1836

Years Of Service

Dolley Todd

James Madison James Madison summary: James Madison was the 4th president of the United States. He was born in Orange County, Virginia in 1751. After attending boarding school and receiving private tutoring, Madison attended what is now Princeton University in New Jersey. He returned to his family’s home, Montpelier, in 1772. He became a colonel in the Virginia militia, and he represented Orange County in the Virginia Convention of 1776. He befriended Thomas Jefferson soon after, and he worked with George Mason to draft the constitution of Virginia. He became a member of the Continental Congress in 1780. He returned to Virginia several years later, serving in the state legislature. There, he aided in the passing of a document written by Jefferson, Virginia’s Statute of Religious Freedom.

He later attended the Constitution Convention, representing Virginia. This was followed by his election to the House of Representatives in 1789. Madison was instrumental in the writing of the Bill of Rights. He is often referred to as the Father of the Constitution because of his work on the United States Constitution. He was also the person who drafted the first ten amendments to the constitution. He served as Thomas Jefferson’s secretary of state. Madison won the presidential election of 1808 by a wide margin, becoming the 4th president of the United States. Conflict with Great Britain increased during his presidency, resulting in the War of 1812. He served a second term as president, followed by helping Thomas Jefferson found the University of Virginia. He died at Montpelier in 1836.