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Cody Turnow James Madison Wiki 9/22/2010   James Walker Madison Jr. Born- March 16, 1751 Died- June 28, 1836 Democratic-Republican Presidential Terms (2) March 4, 1809 – March 4, 1817 Vice Presidents- George Clinton (1809–1812), Elbridge Gerry (1813–1814) James Madison’s presidency was certainly not one of the best in American history, but it was decent nonetheless. Madison’s major flaw was not being able to avoid war with Great Britain, but in his presidency he did set precedents for the interpretation and application of the constitution. Overall, Madison deserves a B- for his poor foreign and economic policies, but strong central beliefs. In a time where the British-French rivalry was reaching its pinnacle, Madison’s intent was to stay out of the conflict for as long as deemed plausible. He also wanted to create a better national bank, one that was more widely accepted by Republicans, to improve our young nation’s economy, as well as generally improve foreign affairs. Madison certainly did not meet his goal in improving foreign affairs, as many regard the War of 1812 as one of the biggest mistakes in U.S. history. Macon’s Bill No. 2 was also a folly of Madison’s and ultimately ended up forcing the U.S. into war with Great Britain. To Madison’s credit, he did create the Second National Bank as well as indirectly jumpstarting the American industrial revolution, almost at the expense of a New England secession. Madison did not meet his main goal in averting war and put much strain on the American economy, but he did create a re-vamped national bank as well as increasing American industry. President James Madison had a fair relationship with Congress, considering that the majority in Congress at the time was Democratic-Republicans. Congress dissolved the Non-Intercourse Act of 1809 that Madison had hoped to keep intact, but soon came up with Macon’s Bill No. 2 which Madison reluctantly endorsed. When Madison solicited a declaration of war from Congress, it was answered within two weeks. In addition, when the First National Bank had expired, Congress proposed a replacement which Madison vetoed, before asking Congress for a new national bank, which was signed into action in 1816. Madison, being the father of the constitution, rightfully vetoed several bills which he deemed unconstitutional. He rejected a bill for “internal improvements” based on states’ rights, as well as the view that the Taxing and Spending clause justified such bills. Although Congress and Madison did not see eye-to-eye on every subject, they did manage to accomplish what needed done during Madison’s presidency. Entering into war with Britain in the War of 1812 was indubitably a double-edged sword. It produced both the most negative and positive outcomes of Madison’s presidency. Macon’s Bill No.2 effectively suffocated American trade during the War of 1812, while America’s requests were ignored by both France and Britain. The bill hit New England especially hard, whose economy was based on exportation. It led to New Englanders smuggling goods to Britain through Canada, and creating a sharp division in the U.S. In addition, the enraged New Englanders refused to aid the war efforts by not fighting any battles out of state. The U.S. entered a war with a people that were alienated to the federal government and apathetic to its newly declared war. The nation’s capital was seized by its enemies and many government buildings as well as the White House were burned. Despite the harsh effects of war, America may have benefited in the long run from the conflict. The stark non-intercourse acts may have hurt New England economically, but they sparked an increase in manufacturing. With desolate sea ports, many were left with no choice but to re-open or create new factories. This gave America greater economic dependence and proved beneficial in years to come. The end of the war brought the country an increasing sense of nationalism and unity. The new republic had gained more respect internationally, and had stood up for itself during its “second war for independence”. What was initially disastrous proved to be extremely advantageous for future generations and presidential administrations. Although Madison’s presidency was certainly not highly regarded at the time, it was successful in many ways. Madison was able to further cement his interpretation of the Constitution, as well as establish a new national bank. He entered a war that was not in the best interest of the people, but inadvertently helped future Americans. Madison was indeed a hero among the founding fathers, but his presidency was simply lackluster. He undoubtedly deserves a B-. Degregorio, William A.. // The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents, Seventh Edition (Complete Book of Us Presidents) //. 7 ed. Fort Lee: Barricade Books, 2009. Print.  Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas A. Bailey. //The American Pageant//. 12th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Print.  United States of America. //First Inaugural Address//. By James W. Madison. 1809. //Teaching American History//. Web. 21 Sept. 2010. .