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Federalist** **__Virginia__** Virginia was the most populous state at the time of the Constitutional Conventional and was extremely economically dependent upon the cash crop tobacco. Nearly all of the population were farmers, and many of them owned slaves, who added even more to the population. While most of Virginians were simple farmers, the state had a lot of political power because of its population, and there were several very influential politicians, such as James Madison, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. Virginian delegates wanted states with larger populations to have more congressmen than those with smaller populations, because they felt that with their larger population they deserved more influence over the government.
 * __James Madison__

__**Occupation and Socio-Economic Background**__ Madison was born into an aristocratic family in Port Conway, Virginia on March 16, 1761.James was the eldest of 12 children. He attended the College of New Jersey(Now Princeton) from 1769-1771 studying history, theology and law, getting a 4 year degree in just 2 short years. He began his political career at the age of 23 as a member of the King George County Committee for Public Safety in Virginia. Madison was appointed to the Virginia Constitutional Committee, where he drafted the Virginia’s first constitution and bill of rights. He supported religious freedom and the separation between church and state. He also met Thomas Jefferson at the committee, where they became lifelong friends. Madison was elected to represent Virginia in the Continental Congress in 1779. He joined John Jay and Alexander Hamilton to write roughly one-third of the Federalist Papers. He went on to lead the Constitutional Convention, where he earned the title of “The Father of the Constitution.”

Madison not only attended, but lead the Constitutional Convention. As the lead and most influential member of the Convention, he will forever be remembered as “The Father of the Constitution.” At the beginning of the Convention, Madison presented the Virginia Plan which called for major reform, creating a powerful central government with 3 supreme branches of government, the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary Branches. He also presented check and balances, which would prevent corruption and not give too much power to any one branch or person, thus averting any worries of Tyranny. It also called for the legislative branch to have two houses, one voted for by the people and voted for by a group of nominees from each states legislature. He also wanted representation to be based upon population. When the Anti-Federalists presented the New Jersey Plan, Madison skillfully refuted it, pointing out problems including treaty violations, encroachments upon federal authority and the problems with armed minorities. He also explained how the New Jersey Plan would not solve any of the problems that occurred under the Articles, and that the Virginia Plan could resolve said issues. Madison was extremely successful, and winning 7 states to 3 to use the Virginia Plan, and eventually many of his ideals were utilized in the Constitution.
 * __“The Father of the Constitution”__**

__**Ratification Process**__ Madison was a member in ratifying the Constitution and voted towards having it ratified. Madison played a key role in convincing others to ratify the constitution, and did an outstanding job of helping work it through various obstacles until it was at the point where it was a legitimate Constitution which all of the states agreed upon and had ratified.

__**Friends**__ Madison was closely affiliated with John Jay and Alexander Hamilton, who wrote the Federalist Papers with him. Other friends of Madison included Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Wilson, John Dickinson, Edmund Randolph, and Jonathon Smith.

__**Foes**__ One of Madison’s most formidable foes was William Paterson, who tried to refute the Virginia Plan with his own New Jersey Plan, which Madison went on to refute himself. Other foes included Anti-federalists, such as Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, George Mason, George Clinton, Robert Yates, Samuel Bryan, Mercy Otis Warren, Tench Cox, Samuel Nasson, Amos Singletary, Samuel Adams, and Melancton Smith. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton and Jay because they were accomplices while writing the Federalist Papers, and know how hard of a worker Madison is. Jefferson because he is a close friend to Hamilton. Even though they were from different political parties they were good friends and Jefferson can speak on behalf of Madison's character, leadership and intelligence.
 * __References__**

__ ​**Works Cited** __

"The Federalist; Biography of Madison." //Heritage - LeftJustified.org//. Web. 20 Sept. 2009. . "James Madison "Godfather of the Constitution" - The Early America Review, Summer 1997." //Archiving Early America: Primary Source Material from 18th Century America//. Web. 20 Sept. 2009. . Kierman, Denise, and Joseph D'Agnese. //Signing Their Lives Away//. Philidelphia: Quirk Books, 2009. Print.
 * Madison, James. //Letters and Other Writings of James Madison//. Philidelphia: Lippincott, 1867. Print.
 * Madison, James. "Publius (Federalist no. 10)." Letter to To the People of the State of New York. 22 Nov. 1787. //Daily Adviser//. New York, 1787. Print.
 * Madison, James. "Publius." Letter to To the People of the State of New York. 6 Feb. 1788. //Independent Journal//. New York, 1778. Print.
 * Tansill, Charles C. //Documents Illustrative of the Foundation of the Union of the American States//. Washington, DC, 1927. Print.