James Madison

Paper Summary:

This paper argues that James Madison's role in the creation of the U.S. federal government from the early Continental Congress to the Bill of Rights, including the Annapolis Convention, the Constitutional Convention, the Federalist papers and other contributions, was the most important among the Founding Fathers. The author contends that had it not been for the genius and foresight of James Madison, citizens would not enjoy the protection of several important civil liberties; indeed, without Madison's contributions, the country might not even exist as a sovereign republic today. The paper relates that Madison's constitutional vision of limited government set the base for the American liberty.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
Madison's Role at the Annapolis Convention and Continental Congress
Madison's Contributions to the Bill of Rights
Madison and "The Federalist"
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"According to one biographer, James Madison was "A giant in intellect, who convinced the squabbling states to send representatives to Philadelphia over 200 years ago to 'form a more perfect union.' For the Constitutional Convention, he prepared a scheme of national government untried in the world." This "untried scheme" was necessary because, on the national level, the Articles of Confederation had made the single-branched Continental Congress responsible for conducting the war, for administering foreign relations, and for handling other matters of national concern; however, they had not entrusted the Congress with the power to tax and provided no power to enforce its decisions. "In other words," McDonald notes, "compliance with its decisions was to be voluntary.""

More papers on James Madison:

• Research Paper # 95870 : "The Presidency of James Madison"
• Term Paper # 148325 : "James Madison on Separation of Church and State"
• Book Review # 101827 : "James Madison and the Creation of the American Republic"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: