Presidents 4 - 6

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James Madison

James Madison

In May, 1787, a short, thin young man named James Madison traveled to Philadelphia to attend the Constitutional Convention. The Articles of Confederation had not provided the United States with a workable government after the American Revolution. Madison was one of many who called for a new national government. At age 36, Madison was one of the youngest members of the convention. He also was the best prepared.

For months, Madison had secluded himself on his father's plantation in Virginia. There, he read stacks of books on history, politics, and commerce. He arrived in Philadelphia with a case bulging with research. For his work at the convention, Madison became known as "Father of the Constitution."

James Madison was born on March 16, 1751, at Port Conway, Virginia. In 1771, he graduated from the College of New Jersey (present-day Princeton University), but returned to Virginia and entered politics at the time of the American Revolution. Thomas Jefferson soon met and befriended the younger man and became Madison's mentor.

In many ways, Madison was an odd person to become a leading statesman. At five feet, four inches tall, he weighed only 100 pounds. He was very shy with men (and even shyer with women) and usually spoke in a low voice that was difficult to hear. But what Madison may have lacked in physical stature was more than compensated for by a sharp, fine mind.

Madison first came to national attention at the Constitutional Convention. He and Edmund Randolph proposed the "Virginia Plan" for a national government. The plan called for three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. It became the basis for the United States Constitution. The daily notes that Madison took during the proceedings have enabled later generations of Americans to know how the framers of the Constitution made their decisions.

Once the constitution was written, Madison worked hard to persuade the states to ratify it. Along with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, he wrote a series of essays, The Federalist Papers, which explained the need for the constitution and argued for its acceptance.

Madison won election to the House of Representatives in 1789. During his tenure he introduced the Bill of Rights and guided it through Congress. He served as Secretary of State during Jefferson's administration. When Jefferson retired from office in 1808, Madison ran for President on the Democratic-Republican ticket. He defeated the Federalist candidate, Charles Pinckney, to become the fourth President of the United States.

The greatest problem of Madison's administration was foreign affairs. England and France were at war with each other, and both countries seized American ships to keep them from trading with the enemy. Because England had a larger navy, it was more successful at interfering with American commerce than France. Some members of Congress pressed for war with England in the hope of invading and seizing Canada. These "War Hawks" criticized Madison's cautious diplomacy and clamored for war. By June of 1812, feeling that he had no choice, Madison asked Congress to declare war on England.

The War of 1812 turned out to be a costly mistake. American armies at the Canadian border were defeated, and Madison lost support from New England states which suffered from the loss of trade. A British force captured Washington, D.C. in 1814 and burned the White House and the Capitol. First Lady Dolley Madison managed to save some presidential papers and a portrait of George Washington by fleeing with them before the British arrived. The war finally ended in a stalemate, though the United States had proved its military might.

Madison retired after his second term in 1817. His home, called Montpelier, was not far from Jefferson's Monticello. Besides running his own plantation, he helped Thomas Jefferson found the University of Virginia. James Madison always will be best remembered as the architect of the American government.

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James Monroe

James Monroe

When James Monroe ran for presidential reelection in 1820, no one opposed him. His first term in office had been calm and successful. Party politics were less antagonistic, the country was at peace, and the economy was healthy. The electoral college cast only one vote against Monroe, possibly because the electors wanted George Washington to retain the honor of being the only President elected unanimously.

James Monroe was born on April 28, 1758, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He left college to fight in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. After bravely leading a charge at the Battle of Trenton and being severely wounded in the shoulder, Monroe was promoted to captain by George Washington.

After the war, Monroe studied law under Thomas Jefferson and began a successful political career. A tall, broad-shouldered man with a warm and considerate personality, Monroe was well-liked and respected by those who knew him, and popular with the public. He was elected to the Virginia Assembly and served in the Congress of the Confederation between 1783 and 1786. Monroe also served as a member of the Senate, and President Washington named him ambassador to France. In 1799, he was elected governor of Virginia. President Jefferson sent him to France again to negotiate the purchase of New Orleans. Monroe did one better, helping to buy the Louisiana Territory for $15 million.

During the War of 1812, Madison made Monroe Secretary of State, and in 1814 named him Secretary of War.

With so much experience in public affairs, Monroe was the choice of both Jefferson and Madison to be the Republican candidate for President in 1816. Although the Republicans had lost support because of the War of 1812, victory at the Battle of New Orleans and the news of peace revived the party's hopes. Monroe easily defeated the Federalist candidate, Rufus King.

Monroe's administration, which spanned two terms, is noted for several achievements in foreign policy. Relations improved with Great Britain, and tensions eased along the American-Canadian border. In 1819, Spain sold Florida to the United States for $5 million, expanding the country from 15 to 24 states during Monroe's administration.

Monroe is best remembered for the Monroe Doctrine. In 1823, Spain plotted to regain control of its former colonies in South America. Many of these colonies had had revolutions of their own and were now independent republics. When Spain began looking for help from other European powers to recapture these countries, Monroe made a speech in Congress. He warned Europe to stay away from the Americas. The Monroe Doctrine has been a major part of American foreign policy ever since.

In 1825, Monroe retired to his Virginia home. Although he was plagued by debts (the government owed him thousands of dollars in back pay), he could take some satisfaction in his popularity and the achievements of his political career. The United States was so prosperous and united during the Monroe years that the period has become known as "the Era of Good Feelings."

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John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams

When John Quincy Adams was just 8 years old, his mother Abigail took him to watch the Battle of Bunker Hill from a nearby hill in Boston. Because he was the son of John and Abigail Adams, John Quincy Adams found himself in the center of American politics from the moment he was born.

Born in Braintree (present-day Quincy), Massachusetts, John Quincy Adams spent most of his teenage years in Europe. He joined his father on a diplomatic mission to Europe in 1778, and in 1782 he became the secretary to the American ambassador to Russia. He was only 14 years old. The following year, John Quincy served as his father's secretary while John Adams was in Paris helping to negotiate the treaty that ended the American Revolution.

John Quincy Adams returned to America to study law at Harvard College. He didn't get much of a chance to practice, however, because President Washington appointed him ambassador to the Netherlands in 1794. Although many people thought that Adams had a cold and reserved personality, he was one of the nation's most successful diplomats. President John Adams named his son ambassador to Prussia. President Madison made him ambassador to Russia, and later ambassador to Great Britain. President Monroe made John Quincy Adams his Secretary of State.

With a wealth of diplomatic experience under his belt, Adams ran for President in 1824. The only opposing candidate with truly national appeal was the hero of the War of 1812, Andrew Jackson. Although Jackson got more votes than any other candidate, he did not win a majority, and the election was thrown into the House of Representatives. Henry Clay urged his supporters to vote for Adams, and he won the presidency. When Adams appointed Clay his Secretary of State, Jackson's supporters claimed that a "corrupt bargain" had been struck.

Adams was interested in developing the country's infrastructure and encouraged the government to build roads, railroads, and canals. Although Congress was reluctant to spend the money, a few of Adams's projects were approved. The Erie Canal was completed during his presidency, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal project was begun.

In 1828, Adams ran for reelection against Andrew Jackson, but was defeated. Many speculated that he wanted to lose, as he had been known to comment that the presidency was "a . . . harassing, wearying, teasing condition of existence."

Adams went back to Braintree, only to return to Washington as a member of Congress. Serving in the House of Representatives from 1831 to 1848, he campaigned to restore debate on abolition, which had been stopped by a "gag rule."

Adams seemed to enjoy his career as legislator more than his role as President, and earned the nickname "Old Man Eloquent." Adams was at his desk in the Capitol in 1848 when he suffered a stroke. He died two days later, after a lifetime of service to his country.

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Information taken from Software titled "American Heritage The History of the United States for Young People.
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