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James Madison
Personal Background
James Madison was born on March 16, 1751, in Port Conway, Virginia. He grew up in a wealthy family, with his father, James Madison Sr., being the largest landowner in Orange County and a prominent planter. Madison was educated at home and at a boarding school before attending the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), where he completed his studies in 1771. He was known for his diligence and thoroughness in his studies (Cost, 2021).
1787 Constitutional Convention
Madison played a crucial role in the events leading up to the Constitutional Convention, mainly through his work in the Virginia Assembly and his collaboration with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay in writing the Federalist Papers. They were the ones who pushed hard for the adoption of the Constitution (National Archives, 2023). Madison also gave many speeches on the floor and pushed for a strong national government (National Archives). His work is what earned him the title "Father of the Constitution" (Broadwater, 2019). He was chosen to attend due to his strong advocacy for constitutional reform.
Positions at the Convention
Madison advocated for a strong central government with a system of checks and balances. He was instrumental in drafting the Virginia Plan, which...…was Secretary of State under President Jefferson, and eventually became the fourth President of the United States (1809-1817). His presidency included the War of 1812 and the subsequent "Era of Good Feelings" (Cost, 2021). He retired from public life in 1817 and spent his remaining years at his Montpelier estate in Virginia where he died in 1836.
James Madison's contributions to the formation of the U.S. Constitution and his subsequent political career are the result of his dedication to the principles of federalism. His legacy continues to influence American politics and governance to this day and we have him to thank for…
References
Broadwater, J. (2019). Jefferson, Madison, and the Making of the Constitution. UNC PressBooks.
Cost, J. (2021). James Madison: America's First Politician. Basic Books.
National Archives. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/founding-fathers-virginia#madison
On the other hand, to ensure the direct participation of the people, each state would have representatives based on population. Further, Madison's plan adopted a checks and balances system to prevent tyranny by any one branch. (Wills). Madison's reasoning for his passions are best summed up in his pro-ratification public relations campaign outlined in what is now known as the Federalist Papers. Perhaps the most famous of these essays is
The first is an arrogant pre-tension falsified by the contradictory opinions of all Rulers in all ages, and throughout the world: the second an unhallowed perversion of the means of salvation" (Boston). Madison's document was successful in crushing Henry's measure, as opposition flooded the Virginia statehouse from every corner of the commonwealth, and the bill was voted down (Boston). Using this momentum, Madison pushed Jefferson's "Act for Establishing Religious Freedom"
For Madison, the Constitution provides for a distinction between what he calls the "authority of human laws and the "natural rights of Man," the latter including the right of religious choice. In the same document, Madison opposes interference from the government in matters religious on the grounds of five reasons. The most significant of these is the third reason: "They seem to imply and certainly nourish the erroneous idea of
Without this strong early advocate for religious freedom divorced from civic interference, modern Americans would enjoy far less personal freedom and individual liberty. From the early days of the development of the British colonies into an independent nation, Madison was involved. As a student of history, government, and law, he took part in framing the Virginia Constitution in 1776 and held membership in the Virginia Assembly ("James Madison"). Madison served
Each of these three elements of Madison's governmental plan served a different direct purpose but the combination served to ensure that government would provide order but would do so without growing out of control. The design of federalism would insure that local factions would not become too powerful while still permitting local issues a proper forum. The system of checks and balances would allow each branch of the government the