James Madison

As one of the leading Founding Fathers of the United States of America, James Madison was instrumental in shaping our nation to what it is today. Paper Masters will assist you in writing a history research paper on one of the greatest Americans.

After the Federalist Party split in 1791, Madison worked with Thomas Jefferson to create the Democratic-Republican Party. When the second President of the United States, John Adams, passed the Alien and Sedition Acts, something many saw as an encroachment on the First Amendment, Madison and Jefferson wrote the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, giving credence to the idea that states had the ability to nullify federal law. Ultimately, Madison would go on to serve as Secretary of State for the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, before serving as the fourth President of the United States himself from 1809 to 1817. During his tenure, he led the nation through the War of 1812, once again demonstrating to the world that we were a nation independent, and deservedly so, from Great Britain. While many essential buildings in Washington, D.C., were damaged or destroyed during this conflict, it was through the efforts of Madison and his wife, Dolley, that notable cultural artifacts were saved. Due to his vast contributions in the earliest days of the nation, Madison is regarded as one of the more popular presidents from our history.

At the Constitutional Convention, states were deadlocked on ratification of the document; together with the following founding fathers:

• Alexander Hamilton
• John Jay

Madison penned The Federalist Papers, a series of essays designed to sway opinion in favor of the new system of government. One of the compromises that was made to ensure the ratification of the Constitution was the addition of the Bill of Rights. Madison himself was the primary draftsman of the first ten amendments to the Constitution, thereby aiding in the ultimate approval of the document.

Madison began his battle for freedom of religion during his time as a freshman lawmaker. Specifically, he fought against persecution in the name of religion. One of his first acts was to pass legislation aimed at banning religious persecution and to protect the rights of religious minorities. He spent ten years fighting for religious freedoms in his native Virginia. His early focus on religious freedom earned him the title of one of the most decisive forces in the creation of the First Amendment.

Madison grew up heavily influenced by the ideals of the Anglican religion. Both of his parents were active in the church. Moreover, he was tutored by Anglican clergymen who stressed the importance of living up to the Anglican ideal. His views later expanded while attending e a Presbyterian seminary where he studied theology under a prominent evangelical preacher.
Joseph Loconte argues the concept of freedom of religion became important to a young

James Madison when he visited a jail housing Baptist preachers in his native Virginia. It was common practice to jail those who voiced religious views that differed from those of the Anglican Church. The idea of persecution on religious grounds greatly disturbed Madison.
Despite his early experience with religion, Madison did not believe religion should serve as the sole guiding force for Americans. Instead, he believed in and campaigned for a republican style government that would be "just" and ensure the freedoms promised. At the same time he believed the role religion played in politics, particularly Virginia, might lead to eventual corruption and a country that denied the individual freedoms men fought and died for. It was his intention to ensure freedom of religion by preventing one religion from gaining too much political power.