Madison returned to Virginia in 1797 with his wife Dolley. The couple had met in Philadelphia in 1794, and married that same year. She had a son named Payne from her first marriage, who Madison raised as his own.
In 1801, Madison joined the administration of his longtime friend, Thomas Jefferson, serving as President Jefferson's secretary of state. He supported Jefferson's efforts in expanding the nation's borders with the Louisiana Purchase, and the explorations of these new lands by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. One of Madison's greatest challenges played out on the high seas, with U.S. ships coming under attack. Great Britain and France were at war again, and American vessels were caught in the middle. Warships from both sides routinely stopped and seized American ships to prevent Americans from trading with the enemy.
Running on the Democratic-Republican ticket, Madison won the 1808 presidential election by a wide margin. He defeated Federalist Charles C. Pinckney and Independent Republican George Clinton, securing nearly 70 percent of the electoral votes. It was an incredible victory, considering the poor public opinion of the Embargo Act of 1807. One challenge of Madison's first term was growing tensions between the United …show more content…
The conflict took a dark turn in 1814, when British forces invaded Maryland. As they made their way to Washington, Madison and his government had to flee the capital. British soldiers burned many official buildings once they reached Washington that August. The White House and the Capitol building were among the structures destroyed. The following month, U.S. troops were able to stop another British invasion in the North. And Andrew Jackson, though his soldiers were outnumbered, achieved an impressive victory over the British in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. Both sides agreed to end the conflict later that year, with the signing of the Treaty of
In 1801, Madison joined the administration of his longtime friend, Thomas Jefferson, serving as President Jefferson's secretary of state. He supported Jefferson's efforts in expanding the nation's borders with the Louisiana Purchase, and the explorations of these new lands by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. One of Madison's greatest challenges played out on the high seas, with U.S. ships coming under attack. Great Britain and France were at war again, and American vessels were caught in the middle. Warships from both sides routinely stopped and seized American ships to prevent Americans from trading with the enemy.
Running on the Democratic-Republican ticket, Madison won the 1808 presidential election by a wide margin. He defeated Federalist Charles C. Pinckney and Independent Republican George Clinton, securing nearly 70 percent of the electoral votes. It was an incredible victory, considering the poor public opinion of the Embargo Act of 1807. One challenge of Madison's first term was growing tensions between the United …show more content…
The conflict took a dark turn in 1814, when British forces invaded Maryland. As they made their way to Washington, Madison and his government had to flee the capital. British soldiers burned many official buildings once they reached Washington that August. The White House and the Capitol building were among the structures destroyed. The following month, U.S. troops were able to stop another British invasion in the North. And Andrew Jackson, though his soldiers were outnumbered, achieved an impressive victory over the British in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. Both sides agreed to end the conflict later that year, with the signing of the Treaty of