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 * James Madison: March 16, 1751 - June 28, 1836**
 * Theme: Globalization**
 * Political Party: Democratic - Republican**
 * In Office: March 4, 1809 - March 4, 1817**
 * Vice President: George Clinton (1809 - 1812) Elbridge Gerry (1813 - 1814)**

Theme: Many factors contributed to the idea of globalization. One being the non-intercourse Act. Although it was adopted during the final stages of Thomas Jefferson's term it affected Madison's presidency. The act was intended to damage France and Britain's economy. Being unsuccessful, this added to the idea of globalization because of the negative relations with other countries. Another contribution during Madison's presidency was Macon's Bill number 2 which officially became a law on May 1, 1810. It revised the previous bill "Macon's Bill number 1" and lifted all embargoes with Britain or France. Napoleon (emperor of the French) then recognized American ships as neutral but never followed through with his accusations. This caused more tension between the foreign nations and the U.S. eventually leading into war.

James Madison otherwise known as the "father of the Constitution" affected America greatly during his presidency. He had great experience with political systems allowing him to be quite successful as the 4th President of the United States. His early career as a politician was a great influence on him becoming President. Although his knowledge was immense, his term consisted of a war that terminated the lives of thousands of Americans. James Madison rightfully deserves a C for his time in Office. Great Britain used their navy to prevent trading in France with American ships. They also armed native tribes and encouraged attacks onto settlers. With British complications expanding, Madison was left with the unfortunate choice of declaring war. The war of 1812 caused Madison's presidency rating to plummet drastically.

As Madison presented his Inaugural Address he established many goals of which he planned to accomplish. He sought to remain neutral with foreign affiliation. He believed in State Rights and committed to make them a priority through his efforts and performance as President. In his first term he failed to commit to all of his promises. Foreign affairs became a prime issue when America proposed war against Great Britain. James Madison was unable to fulfill his goal with keeping peace. During his second term his goals were better reached. The Treaty of Ghent requested peace with Great Britain to end the war. His relationships with foreign countries improved exceptionally which benefited the nation as a whole.

Madison's decision on undertaking a war deeply affected his ties with Congress. There was tension with the relationships between France and Britain. The British ships managed to seize American seaman discontinuing trade. On June 1, 1812 Madison asked Congress to declare war on Great Britain due to economic pressure. They responded in agreement two weeks later but division was prominent. The House and Senate votes were practically split causing little support for James Madison. Many of the federalist congressmen opposed Madison's views and caused the president even further disruption. In addition, he vetoed a total of seven times during both of his terms. During his first time in office an act for relief of The Baptist Church at the Salem Meeting House (Mississippi territory) was vetoed. Madison thought it violated the Establishment Clause which presented that "Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion." The Bonus Bill was yet another to be vetoed. It asked for internal improvements using surplus funds from the Bank of the United States. The request dealt with the creation of canals and roads. Madison vetoed due to constitutional infringements and thought it was the states responsibilities for funding their own roads and canals within their regions.

The most positive achievement during Madison's presidency was the Treaty of Ghent. The Treaty of Ghent was signed on Christmas eve 1814, and proposed a peace treaty that concluded the war. The Americans regained independence and confidence to allow the nation to grow and prosper. Because of weak trade, manufacturing became high in demand and allowed the economy to thrive even further. The citizens learned to rely on themselves and provide for their own country in times of hardship. The Era of Good Feeling was another positive attribute to James Madison's presidency. In 1816 the idea of federalism decreased drastically allowing the division in political parties to dissolve.

The most negative action of James Madison was the declaration of war with the British. The American army was unprepared to fight yet another war to defend their independence. The last thing the country needed was more conflict with foreign nations. As war approached the insufficient army struggled to gain fundings and strength. The battles on land caused deterioration within the homeland. Washington (the nations capitol) set aflame on August 24, 1812 but fortunately the Americans drove out the British before further damage was done. Despite some of the victories achieved by the U.S. James Madison jeopardized our country by declaring war initially. After just recently ending a war with Britain the reoccurrence should have been avoided.

James Madison opened the eyes to future administrations. The War of 1812 showed future administrations that foreign affairs were extremely vital. Having an alliance with other countries is imperative for a well developed nation. America should always be considered first and unfortunately Madison lacked this by putting the country through such a severe conflict. This concerned Americans allowing future generations to better prepare an army in times of war and fund it properly. The War also allowed the federalist party to demolish and create a solid political party for Americans.

To conclude the United States of America was on better economic terms before the start of Madison's presidency. James Madison was not totally inadequate during his terms, however errors were made that detiororated the nations fortitude. Many controversial events took place leaving the country in worse shape after his presidency. The war of 1812 distracted the development of the nation as a whole and left America in a deficient position. Instead of focusing on homeland issues, the foreign affairs became priority causing focus in the wrong area. Overall America did not benefit anything major during James Madison's presidency.

American President: James Madison." //Miller Center//. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2011. .

James Madison: "Inaugural Address," March 4, 1809. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, //The American Presidency Project//. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25805.

"James Madison | The White House." //The White House//. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2011. .

1791, the last ten of Madison’s proposed amendments were ratified, and the Bill of Rights was not integrated into the main body of the Constitution. "James Madison - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia."//Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2011. 