# 3545 - 2001 34c James Madison
34¢ James Madison
City: New York, NY
Quantity: 32,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Lithographed and engraved
Perforations: Serpentine Die Cut 11 x 11 ¼
Color: Green and black
Happy Birthday, James Madison
Madison attended the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) from 1769-71, completing a four-year degree in just two years. For a year after graduating, he studied closely with the school’s president, John Witherspoon, earning the honor of being Princeton’s first graduate student (sometimes referred to as America’s first graduate student).
In 1780, at the age of 29, Madison was elected to the Continental Congress – the country’s youngest congressman. Though he was shy at first, his passion for politics quickly established him as a great debater and legislator. Madison advocated a stronger central government than what had been established by the Articles of Confederation.
In May 1787, Madison arrived at the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention early and with a number of resources to share with his fellow delegates. His plan was to create a new central government with stronger powers, an elected chief executive with the power to veto legislation, a federal judiciary branch, and a two-chambered legislature. While each branch would have certain set responsibilities, they would each also have the opportunity to take part in checks and balances of each other’s actions. Madison’s plan was an overwhelming success.
In 1789, Madison became one of the House of Representative’s first great legislators. One of his major tasks in this role was to create a bill of rights, which he opposed at first. He eventually gave in to the Federalists’ pleas and began working on a series of amendments, which were based on proposals he received from each state that wished to contribute. The Bill of Rights was completed and ratified in December 1791.
Due to the popularity of Jefferson and the Democratic-Republican Party, Madison easily won the election of 1808 against Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. Madison’s inaugural ball – the nation’s first – was an impressive event that followed his inaugural address, in which he declared that the U.S. would not be intimidated by foreign encroachment.
Despite Madison’s attempts to defend U.S. interests, England and France continued to disrupt American shipping. England often forced American sailors into their service with claims that the U.S. was weak and no longer united. When further diplomatic options seemed impossible, Madison declared war against Great Britain in June 1812.
At the end of his term, Madison and his wife Dolley retired to Montpellier, Virginia, where he was active as a “gentleman farmer” (not-for-profit hobbyist farmer). He served as an adviser to James Monroe and a rector at the University of Virginia following Thomas Jefferson’s death in 1826. Madison spent much of his retirement writing and revising papers chronicling his career.
Madison continued to share his political ideas in retirement. He spoke at the 1829 Virginia Convention, in an attempt to increase voters’ rights and oppose slavery. James Madison died on June 28, 1836 – the last of the Founding Fathers.
34¢ James Madison
City: New York, NY
Quantity: 32,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Lithographed and engraved
Perforations: Serpentine Die Cut 11 x 11 ¼
Color: Green and black
Happy Birthday, James Madison
Madison attended the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) from 1769-71, completing a four-year degree in just two years. For a year after graduating, he studied closely with the school’s president, John Witherspoon, earning the honor of being Princeton’s first graduate student (sometimes referred to as America’s first graduate student).
In 1780, at the age of 29, Madison was elected to the Continental Congress – the country’s youngest congressman. Though he was shy at first, his passion for politics quickly established him as a great debater and legislator. Madison advocated a stronger central government than what had been established by the Articles of Confederation.
In May 1787, Madison arrived at the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention early and with a number of resources to share with his fellow delegates. His plan was to create a new central government with stronger powers, an elected chief executive with the power to veto legislation, a federal judiciary branch, and a two-chambered legislature. While each branch would have certain set responsibilities, they would each also have the opportunity to take part in checks and balances of each other’s actions. Madison’s plan was an overwhelming success.
In 1789, Madison became one of the House of Representative’s first great legislators. One of his major tasks in this role was to create a bill of rights, which he opposed at first. He eventually gave in to the Federalists’ pleas and began working on a series of amendments, which were based on proposals he received from each state that wished to contribute. The Bill of Rights was completed and ratified in December 1791.
Due to the popularity of Jefferson and the Democratic-Republican Party, Madison easily won the election of 1808 against Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. Madison’s inaugural ball – the nation’s first – was an impressive event that followed his inaugural address, in which he declared that the U.S. would not be intimidated by foreign encroachment.
Despite Madison’s attempts to defend U.S. interests, England and France continued to disrupt American shipping. England often forced American sailors into their service with claims that the U.S. was weak and no longer united. When further diplomatic options seemed impossible, Madison declared war against Great Britain in June 1812.
At the end of his term, Madison and his wife Dolley retired to Montpellier, Virginia, where he was active as a “gentleman farmer” (not-for-profit hobbyist farmer). He served as an adviser to James Monroe and a rector at the University of Virginia following Thomas Jefferson’s death in 1826. Madison spent much of his retirement writing and revising papers chronicling his career.
Madison continued to share his political ideas in retirement. He spoke at the 1829 Virginia Convention, in an attempt to increase voters’ rights and oppose slavery. James Madison died on June 28, 1836 – the last of the Founding Fathers.