James Madison

James Madison Jr. was born on March 16, 1751, (March 5, 1750, Old Style) at Belle Grove Plantation near Port Conway in the Colony of Virginia, to James Madison Sr. and Nelly Conway Madison. His family had lived in Virginia since the mid-1600s.[1] Madison grew up as the oldest of twelve children, with seven brothers and four sisters, though only six lived to adulthood. His father was a tobacco planter who grew up on a plantation, then called Mount Pleasant, which he had inherited upon reaching adulthood. With an estimated 100 slaves and a 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) plantation, Madison’s father was the largest landowner and a leading citizen in the Piedmont. Madison’s maternal grandfather was a prominent planter and tobacco merchant. In the early 1760s, the Madison family moved into a newly built house that they named Montpelier. (20)

In 1774, Madison took a seat on the local Committee of Safety, a pro-revolution group that oversaw the local Patriot militia.[40] In October 1775, he was commissioned as the colonel of the Orange County militia, serving as his father’s second-in-command until his election as a delegate to the Fifth Virginia Convention, which was charged with producing Virginia’s first constitution.[41] Even though Madison was of short stature, 5 Feet 4 inches,  and was frequently in poor health, He never saw battle in the Revolutionary War, but rose to prominence in Virginia politics as a wartime leader.[42]

When the Virginia constitution was enacted, Madison became part of the Virginia House of Delegates and then elected into the Governor’s Council of State. [43] While serving here Madison became close to the Governor, Thomas Jefferson.  [44]

In 1787, while Madison was  waiting for a quorum to assemble at the Constitutional Convention he drafted the Virginia Plan, which became the blueprint for the U.S. Constitution.  This plan proposed a central government with three branches that would check and balance each other, keeping any one branch from wielding too much power.

In 1789, Madison was elected to the US House of Representatives and served as Washington’s chief supporter [240]. Initially he believed that the Bill of Rights was not only unnecessary but dangerous because it would make it look like some rights were specifically given while others were not. [241]. He only go on board with the Bill of Rights when it looked like the Constitution would not be ratified by the states without it. [242] After studying over 200 amendments that had been proposed during the state ratifying conventions, he introduced the Bill of Rights on June 8, 1789. [243] His amendments contained numerous restrictions to the Federal government and would protect, freedom of religion, speech and the right to peaceful assembly. [244] Of the 12 amendments that were formally proposed by Congress to the states, 10 of them were ratified as additions to the Constitution on December 15, 1791, becoming known as the Bill of Rights. [245].

In 1774, Madison took a seat on the local Committee of Safety, a pro-revolution group that oversaw the local Patriot militia.[40] In October 1775, he was commissioned as the colonel of the Orange County militia, serving as his father’s second-in-command until his election as a delegate to the Fifth Virginia Convention, which was charged with producing Virginia’s first constitution.[41] Even though Madison was of short stature, 5 Feet 4 inches,  and was frequently in poor health, He never saw battle in the Revolutionary War, but rose to prominence in Virginia politics as a wartime leader.[42]

When the Virginia constitution was enacted, Madison became part of the Virginia House of Delegates and then elected into the Governor’s Council of State. [43] While serving here Madison became close to the Governor, Thomas Jefferson.  [44]

In 1774, Madison took a seat on the local Committee of Safety, a pro-revolution group that oversaw the local Patriot militia.[40] In October 1775, he was commissioned as the colonel of the Orange County militia, serving as his father’s second-in-command until his election as a delegate to the Fifth Virginia Convention, which was charged with producing Virginia’s first constitution.[41] Even though Madison was of short stature, 5 Feet 4 inches,  and was frequently in poor health, He never saw battle in the Revolutionary War, but rose to prominence in Virginia politics as a wartime leader.[42]

When the Virginia constitution was enacted, Madison became part of the Virginia House of Delegates and then elected into the Governor’s Council of State. [43] While serving here Madison became close to the Governor, Thomas Jefferson.  [44]

After two terms in office, Madison left Washington, D.C., in 1817, and returned to Montpelier with his wife. Despite the challenges he encountered during his presidency, Madison was respected as a great thinker, communicator and statesman. He remained active in various civic causes, and in 1826 became rector of the University of Virginia, which was founded by his friend Thomas Jefferson. Madison died at Montpelier on June 28, 1836, at the age of 85, from heart failure. (220)