Tuesday, January 27, 2015

James Madison, America's 4th President

President James Madison was very similar to his predecessor, President Thomas Jefferson as both had the same political ideology and values.  President Madison’s life and career was devoted to public service from a very young age. He long admired being a student of history, law, and government, and spent his early years framing the Virginia Constitution, followed by service in the Continental Congress.  Prior to becoming America’s 4th President, James Madison served as Secretary of State to President Jefferson for eight years.  Whereas Jefferson was very strong in writing, President Madison was at his best in public speaking, often times leading fierce debates regarding the political establishment of America.

While in Congress, he spearheaded the drafting of the Bill of Rights, earning him the nickname
“Father of the Bill of Rights.”  His heavy involvement as a Congressman was instrumental in the development of the Republican Party (also referred to the Republican-Democrat Party or the Jefferson Party).  This party was in competition with the Federalists to be the leading advocate for developing American policy and agenda.

During Madison’s Presidency, he asked Congress to declare war against the British, to send a powerful message that American independence from Britain was nonnegotiable.  The War of 1812, lasted only a few years, but provided America with a renewed sense of liberation, peace, nationalism, and prosperity.  It was during the War of 1812, that the Star Spangled Banner was written by Frances Scott Key.

Prior to the commencement of the War of 1812, lots of opposition existed from the North.  They felt it would be counterproductive to the economy, financially unsustainable, and that military personnel were inadequately trained. The anti-war establishment threatened to secede from America.   Opposition was led by the Federalists party and they were proven wrong.  America’s victory and the British surrender, led to the dismantling of the Federalists party and the blueprint for today’s two party system of Democrats and Republicans.

President Madison’s wife, Dolley, had a very charming and distinguished personality.  She is historically referred to as America’s “First Lady,” due to her social grace and welcoming demeanor. Although she was a widow with a child at the age of 24, that did not impact President Madison from falling in love with Dolley.  They were married in 1794, when she was 26 and lived a life of happiness, trust, and understanding of one another.  They had no children together, yet President Madison showed lots of patience to Dolly’s son, even though her son directly harmed President Madison’s financial affairs, by mismanaging his estate.

President Madison portrait was on the $5,000 bill, which stopped printing in the 1940’s and went out of circulation in the 1960’s.  

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Thomas Jefferson, America's 3rd President

The Presidency of Thomas Jefferson was symbolized by various firsts in American history.  Besides being the first President to win an election versus an incumbent, he was also the 1st President to enter the White House as a single man, as his wife passed away twenty years before he would lead America. 

As a leader, Jefferson was a stronger writer and thinker, than he was speaker.  He preferred sharing his ideas with the pen as opposed to using his voice.   Jefferson’s strength and ability to eloquently transition his wisdom to paper, led him to compose the initial draft of the Declaration of Independence, which was signed on July 4th, 1776, ironically exactly 50 years before his death on July 4th, 1826.

Prior to becoming President in 1801, Jefferson had a history rich in politics and civic engagement.  Besides being America’s first Secretary of State for President Washington, he also held positions such as former governor of Virginia, former Vice President of America, and former diplomat to France. 

In 1803, through Jefferson’s active negotiation of the Louisiana Purchase, he was instrumental in America purchasing 530 million acres of land from the French at a cost of $15 million. (Presently America is 2.3 billion acres in size, meaning Jefferson’s transaction represents ¼ of the USA).   His appreciation of the value of acquiring strategic land was attributed to him inheriting 5000 acres of land from his father’s death.

Jefferson’s Presidency was a dynamic time for American politics.  Two strong political parties, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republican, were vying for influence and power.   Although America was still young, its challenges were large.  Similar to today’s political climate of Democratic vs. Republican, the two parties of the Federalists and the Democratic-Republican had differing views on how to solve their issues and challenges. 

Surprisingly, at the time of Jefferson’s Presidency, America had a debt of almost $90 million and Jefferson worked diligently to reduce this debt.  With minimal chance for America to engage in war with the French and tensions diffused, Jefferson began to reduce the budget by shrinking military expenses.  His proactive policy of fiscal responsibility reduced the debt by almost 1/3 in a short period of time.

During Jefferson’s Presidency, the state of Ohio was added to the union in 1803, bringing America to 17 states.     Besides Jefferson founding the University of Virginia, he kept himself occupied by being an inventor, writer, linguist, and farmer.  He had a difficult time adjusting to life as widowed man and as such, his grown children and their families would often times occupy the White House with him, as evidenced by his grandson being the first person born in the White House. 

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Day 2: President John Adams

John Adams has the distinction of being the first person to serve as both Vice President and President of America.  During his eight years as President Washington’s VP, he felt frustrated, underused, and underappreciated, often sharing with his wife how insignificant a role he had in America’s infancy.  He considered himself to be both a philosopher as well as a politician and often times struggled to distinguish the two.

President Adams was born in Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard.  Upon graduating, he started practicing law and eventually turned to politics.   As a delegate to the First and Second Continental Congresses, he was heavily invested in the American independence movement. Prior to becoming Vice President, he was an American diplomat who traveled extensively as evidenced by his positions in France and England.   His diplomatic overseas posts would serve him well as President, as this experience enabled him to strategically avert war with the French. 

During his four years as President, tensions were high between the French and the Americans as both countries were involved in naval positioning and various hostilities throughout the seas.   His leadership averted American involvement in a war and ended with a peace mission being sent to France.  Although war was avoided, various segments of America’s politicians were upset with Adam. This uproar at home partially contributed to Adams being a one term President.

Adams was the first President to reside in the White House, having moved to the home one year prior to vacating the office of President.   When construction of the White House was complete, President Adams shared a prayer with his wife, which remains entrenched in the White House for all visitors to see.  The prayer simply states, “I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and all that shall hereafter inhabit it.  May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof.”

President Adams and his wife, Abigail had five children in ten years.  After his Presidency ended, he returned home to Massachusetts where he spent the next twenty five years of his life, up until his death on July 4, 1826.  Ironically, one of his biggest adversaries, Thomas Jefferson, who became America’s 3rd President and won an electoral that made Adams a one term President, passed away the same day.

The final eight years of life were very difficult on him emotionally, as his wife preceded him in death in 1818.  Their marriage was one based on romance, love, friendship, and involved years of communicating via letters due to President Adams travels as a diplomat.  Unlike his wife, President Adams lived long enough to see his son become America’s 6th President.

Monday, January 19, 2015

44 Presidents in 44 Days Using 444 words: Day 1 - President George Washington

George Washington was inaugurated in New York City on April 30, 1789, while standing on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street.  Upon taking the oath as America’s first President, it was his intent to establish precedence in all his future actions.   His precedence was based on the notion that principles would guide leaders as opposed to politics.

President Washington was born in Virginia to a farming family.  During his teen years, he became heavily interested in the art of military and western land expansion.  While a lieutenant colonel in 1754, he was involved in his first battle of what eventually turned into the Indian & French War.  At the age of 27, he married a widowed lady who was older than him and was a mother of two children from her previous marriage.  She also had two children who died as infants.  Although they never had children together as a couple, Washington was very fond of his step children. 

During the early parts of his marriage, he became quite agitated with the concept of British imperialism and regulations.  In 1775, as a member of the Virginia legislation, he attended the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia during which he was elected Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.    For six years afterwards, he was heavily involved in a challenging war with the British, which ended with the British surrender in 1781 and the end of the American Revolution.

Upon the ending of the American Revolution, Washington was ready to retire from public life and live peacefully and quietly as a private citizen in Mount Vernon.   He came to the realization that the Articles of Confederation, were not functioning as intended, and thus aligned himself with the Constitutional Convention of Philadelphia in 1787.  This convention spearheaded the development of the US Constitution.   Upon ratification of the new Constitution, George Washington was unanimously elected America’s first President by the Electoral College.

President Washington strongly admired what the Constitution represented and stood for.  As such, he respected the powers of Congress, while balancing the needs of America.  He choose to lead America by having a neutral policy on various issues such as foreign policy, knowing that neutrality would make the country stronger, not weaker.   Upon finishing his 2nd term as President, he died about three years post Presidency, at the age of 67 due to a throat infection.


While bidding adieu as President, his Farewell Address encouraged his countrymen not to develop long term alliances in foreign policy, minimize preferences based on geographical distinctions, and avoid excessive political spirit.  His wife passed away three years after him and both were buried in their beloved Mount Vernon.