Constitution Week spotlight

On this second day of Constitution Week, we look at James Madison, the Father of the Constitution, who was a delegate from Virginia.

Madison, a small man described by one as “no bigger than a half piece of soap,” earned the title of Father of the Constitution mainly because he came to the Constitutional Convention so well prepared and because he took copious notes after each day’s session. Princeton educated, Madison read hundreds of books about governments and documents like the Magna Carta. Many of these were given to him by Thomas Jefferson. At age 36, he was one of the youngest delegates at the convention.

Madison was not noted as a particularly good speaker. Nevertheless, he made 150 speeches at the convention, exceeded only by James Wilson and Gouverneur Morris, both of Pennsylvania. He was the originator of the Virginia Plan, which favored the larger states and a strong central government. Though his plan was not accepted, many of its components are found in the final Constitution. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and Madison wrote 85 essays called the “Federalist Papers” to gain support for the Constitution.

Madison married the vivacious Dolley Payne Todd, a 26-year-old widow who was born in North Carolina but grew up in Virginia. He was 43 at the time of their marriage. He served as secretary of state under Thomas Jefferson and was our fourth president. He died at age 85 in 1836.

Who said it? “The Constitution, on this hypothesis, is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the Judiciary, which they may twist and shape into any form they please.”

a) Thomas Jefferson

b) Roger Sherman

c) Charles Pinckney

This Constitution Week Spotlight was provided by Lieutenant George Farragut Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. For more information about DAR, please visit the chapter’s website at lgfdar.com.

Answer: a) Thomas Jefferson