The presidency of James Madison was one which many people have disagreeing points of view on. Some historians think he was not one of our greater presidents because he let the United States fall into the conflict known as the war of 1812. Other historians think that Madison's presidency was a good one because he led America out of the war of 1812 and united the country. The presidency of James Madison while not being one of the greatest of all the presidents was still above average as a president because of Madison's administrative skills, international relations, and crisis leadership.
The administrative skills of Madison were one of his downfalls. The war of 1812 could have been avoided if Madison was not told misinformation that the United States could win it easily. He allowed himself to be lured into a false sense of security by both his cabinet and the senate which was full of the so called "war hawks" who boasted that Canada could be taken with only 1000 Kentucky riflemen. He did at first resist the temptation to go to war but eventually fell to declaring war with the British to attempt to gain more land and to retaliate against the impressment of American sailors that was taking place on the seas at that time to fill Britain's need for sailors with its was against the French and Napoleon which was going on at the same time. It is to Madison's credit though that even though he allowed the nation to fall into war that it was not prepared for he was able to, with help from the nation itself, to win the war and lead the nation to a new era of nationalism within America.
International relations are a important part of any presidency. James Madison, while not having the best skills in this department had sufficient knowledge to keep the nation much better off than it could have been if he made mistakes here. Madison's foreign policies keep America in good standing with the French and even though eventually there was a war, relations with the British were not that bad compared to what they could have been. Neither side was extremely wanting of a war between each other.
Before the two nations started the war, Madison had started policies to try to avoid it and to show the rest of the world that America was not to be taken lightly.
Though Madison faced many predicaments, he also made many fine choices. As Madison tried solving his problems with negotiation, isolationism failed to ensure the safety of the nation. Madison tried to solve his problems by talking to the leaders of Britain and France. “If you agree to stop attacking…” Madison said, “…the United States will stop trading with your enemy”(Hart 168). This reveals how at first, intervention seemed so farfetched and out of the question and intervention was a first priority. In Madison’s mind, this seemed like such a reasonable request, but apparently, to Napoleon and the King of England, it was way too much to ask. Even though Napoleon promptly agreed to Madison’s...
During his entire life, James Madison, who is one of the founding fathers, contributed many dedications to the States, especially when creating the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. As the fourth president of the U.S, he consciously chose to create a new model of presidential power that he thought would fit better with the system of the separation of powers after seeing “the danger overwrought executive power poses to republican constitutionalism” (Kleinerman). Despite of having such good intention, some of his actions led the country through some significant suffers.
All the presidents in the past have played an important part in shaping our country the way it is today. Either for better or for worse. James Madison is one of the presidents which made a difference for the better and probably did some of the best actions for our country. He did his job with pride for The United States of America and he did his job humbly with efficiency. That is why I look up to this American Hero.
Thomas Jefferson had many factions pushing and pulling on him. On one side a Federalist who was quoted by saying “We are to give money of which we have too little for land which we have too much.” (Greenspan pg. 2) On the other Jefferson had War Hawkes and farmers who wanted to go to war over the New Orleans. The most noted of whom was Alexander Hamilton who wrote under a pen name, Pericles, saying “The United States should seize at once Florida and New Orleans and then negotiate.” (Greenspan pg. 3) Thomas Jefferson possibly saved the nation from a premature civil war. Jefferson also believed with the France in the picture it would stop the United States from expanding westward. It also stopped Jefferson’s vision of an “Empire of Liberty.” (Clifford E. Clark Jr. pg. 241) Where Jefferson thought the United States would be the “benchmark of democracy” that other countries would
He had dropped out to become a soldier in the war and to fight for his country. He had first been a lieutenant but after being injured in a battle he was promoted as a major. He actually had fought alongside with George Washington.When he had first joined the army he had joined the 3rd virginia regiment. But he had ended up at harlem heights and survived. But in the year of 1814 he had become a secretary of war. He was always a man who would sacrifice his own life for anyone else who was a part of this country. He was actually the last of the founding fathers to make an appearance.( James Monroe.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Dec. 2017)This explains that he was a big influence in the war because he was always in it and was always a important person while there was a war to
James Madison begins his famous federalist paper by explaining that the purpose of this essay is to help the readers understand how the structure of the proposed government makes liberty possible. Each branch should be, for the most part, in Madison's opinion, independent. To assure such independence, no one branch should have too much power in selecting members of the other two branches. If this principle were strictly followed, it would mean that the citizens should select the president, the legislators, and the judges. But, the framers recognized certain practical difficulties in making every office elective. In particular, the judicial branch would suffer because the average person is not aware of the qualifications judges should possess. Judges should have great ability, but also be free of political pressures. Since federal judges are appointed for life, their thinking will not be influenced by the president who appoints them, or the senators whose consent the president will seek.
The delegates chosen to represent their states on May 25, 1787 at the Constitutional Convention could never have imagined the lasting impact they would have on the nation for over 200 years. These men from diverse upbringings and unique educational backgrounds came together to forge a nation. From the chaos and change of the old world, they were able to bring forth a new nation founded on liberty. It is hard to overrate the amount of foresight and knowledge needed by the Framers of the Constitution in constructing a document that would guide a new nation through times of peace and upheaval.
Thomas Jefferson was the third American President. Due to the fact that he was such an early President, he influenced our political system greatly, both in the short and long term with his seemingly quiet approach to congressional matters. During his presidency, many things happened that changed the United States as we know it. He coordinated the Louisiana Purchase, assisted in implementing the twelfth amendment, formed the character of the modern American President, and cut the U.S.’s war debt by a third.
The War of 1812 took place while president James Madison was in office. Madison was born in Orange County, Virginia in 1751. He attended the College of New Jersey, which is now well known as Princeton. Madison did many significant things both before and after he was in office. He participated in the framing of the Virginia Constitution, served in the Continental Congress and he was also a leader in the Virginia Assembly. One of his major contributions was a ratification to the Constitution. He wrote the Federalist essays along with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. In writing that, many people then began referring to him as the “Father of the Constitution.” Madison felt guilty for getting all the credit so he protested that the document was not “the off-spring of a single brain,” but “the work of many heads and many hands.” Also he helped frame the Bill of Rights and enact the first revenue legislation. All of those things were done before he was elected president in 1808.
Due to the rising British and French hostility in the 1810s, Madison declared war on Britain in 1812. The topic of going to war with Britain was controversial, seeming pointless to some but necessary to others.
James Madison was the fourth president of the United States of America. He was known as a Founding Father and contributed to the making of the Federalist papers and much more. He accomplished much in his time. Madison was liked by very many and was good at what he did. He was one of historys’s most memorable presidents. James Madison helped sculpt the government during his time.
At the age of eleven James Madison was the oldest of his siblings and he began to peak an interest in intellectual earnestness. At age eleven Madison began schooling with a Donald Robertson. Robertson’s school was located in King and Queens County, Virginia. Robertson received his education from the University of Edinburgh. Robertson ran an extremely rigorous school of cla...
On September 17, 1787, the Philadelphia Convention sent their new constitution to the states for ratification. The Federalists highly approved of the Constitution because it allowed for a more central and powerful government that was previously undermined under the Articles of Confederation. The Anti-Federalists, however, didn’t want a powerful central government, but, instead, powerful state governments; in response to the Constitution, many Anti-Federalists began writing essays and creating pamphlets as a means of arguing against it. In retaliation to the Anti-Federalists attempt at getting states to not ratify the Constitution, many Federalists developed a group of essays known as the Federalist Papers, which argued for the ratification of the new law system.
The issue both Presidents faced was whether or not to enter any of the world wars. Both president Woodrow Wilson and Roosevelt felt remaining neutral and not involving themselves in European affairs was the best solution. Wilson himself stated that “the United States must be neutral in fact as well as in name …” for entering the war was not something he or the American
In 1836, Madison died in his family plantation home in Virginia. Leaving a legacy of an evolutionary world we live in today. Known as “Father of the Constitution”, he helped write much of the Constitution. He also wrote 29 of 85 “Federalist Papers” to have the Constitution approved. Madison was for the people he wrote the Bill of Rights, standing up for the American people. He helped found the Democratic Republican Party with Thomas Jefferson. After a lesson learned as the fourth President leading two wars, he saw the value of having a strong federal government. President James Madison, will forever be in our History.