James Madison's Accomplishments

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James Madison was born March 16, 1751. James grew up on a tobacco farm in the Colony of Virginia. He had eleven brothers and sisters, although several of them died at a young age. James was a sickly child as well and liked to stay inside and read. Fortunately, he was very intelligent and performed well in school. He attended the College of New Jersey (today it is Princeton University) and graduated in two years. He learned a number of languages and studied law as well. After college Madison went into politics and within a few years became a member of the Virginia legislature. In 1780, Madison became a member of the Continental Congress. Here he became an influential member and worked hard to keep the states united against the British. After …show more content…
The idea of a new federal government was new to some states and many people were unsure if they wanted to join the United States. James Madison wrote many essays called the Federalists Papers to help convince the states to ratify the Constitution and join the United States. These papers described the benefits of a strong and united federal government. Madison served four terms in the United States …show more content…
The main event during Madison's presidency was the War of 1812. This started because Britain and France were at war. MAdison did not want to enter war but the British were seizing US trade ships and he finally felt he had no choice. In 1812 he asked congress to declare war on Britain. Unfortunately the US was in no position to fight and had lost many battles, including one where he British marched on Washington DC and burned down the White House. However, the final battle of the war, the Battle of Orleans, was a victory led by General Andrew Jackson. This helped the country to feel they had done well and raised Madison's popularity. Madison's health slowly deteriorated until he finally died at the age of 85. He was the last person alive who had signed the US Constitution. James was 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 100 pounds. Madison and George Washington are the only presidents who signed the Constitution. Both of his vice presidents, George Clinton and Elbridge Gerry, died in office. He never held a job outside of politics. His last words were "I talk better lying down." Madison was related to both George Washington and Zachary
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