| 1751 |
Born March 16, at Port Conway in King George
County, Virginia at the home of his maternal grandmother. |
| 1769-1772 |
Attended the College of New Jersey (now
Princeton). |
| 1775 |
Made Colonel in the Orange County Militia. |
| 1776 |
Elected Delegate to the Virginia Convention and
the General Assembly. |
| 1780 |
Served as one of Virginia's Delegates to the
Continental Congress. |
| 1783 |
Engagement to Kitty Floyd ends. |
| 1787 |
Serves as one of Virginia's Delegates to the
Constitutional Convention where he plays a major role earning himself
the title "Father of the Constitution." |
| 1787-1788 |
Shepherds the Constitution through the
ratification process and contributes to The Federalist Papers. |
| 1788 |
Constitution Ratified. |
| 1789 |
Elected to the House of Representatives;
sponsors Bill of Rights; and works with Thomas Jefferson to form the
Democratic Republican Party. |
| 1794 |
Marries Dolley Payne Todd, September 15 (no
children from this marriage). |
| 1801 |
Death of his father, James Madison, Sr.; as
eldest son inherits Montpelier, maintains separate quarters for his
mother. |
| 1801-1809 |
Serves as Thomas Jefferson's Secretary of State. |
| 1809 |
Inaugurated fourth President of the United States. |
| 1812 |
Delivers war message to Congress (War of 1812). |
| 1813 |
Begins second term as President. |
| 1814 |
British burn Washington. |
| 1817 |
Retires from the Presidency to Montpelier. |
| 1826 |
Succeeds Jefferson as Rector of the University
of Virginia |
| 1829 |
Serves as Delegate to Virginia's second
constitutional convention; only member present from the first convention
in 1776. |
| 1836 |
Dies June 28 at Montpelier. |
