James Maddison
We next move onto James Maddison, the framer of our governmental system. Thanks to his impressive work with the Constitution and the Federalist Papers, a strong federal government was established to enforce order in the new country. James Maddison was born in Virginia in the year 1751. One of the younger members of the revolutionary movement, he was an avid student of government during college.
After realizing that his country was moving down the road to rebellion, he studied hard and drafted possibilities for a governmental structure to put forth in the independent colonies. He believed that the best way to go would be by embracing federalism, which is the concept of having a government consisting of a strong national power which is aided by weaker local offices.
When the war was over and the Articles of Confederation were accepted rather than his ideas, Maddison revised his original plans. After the Articles failed, however, Maddison had his opportunity. During the Constitutional Convention, Maddison was the leading mind, proposing the basic structure that our government is formed around today.
He was called the Father of the Constitution and was hailed as a political genius of his time. Maddison also served as Secretary of State under Thomas Jefferson and replaced him as president. His leadership helped to guide Americans through the brutal War of 1812. Maddison died in 1836, proud of his country and compatriots.