Born: March 16, 1751, at Port Conway, Virginia

Died: June 28, 1836, at Montpelier, Orange County, Virginia

First Lady: Dolley Payne Todd Madison

Political Party: Democratic-Republican

Presidential Term: March 4, 1809 to March 3, 1817

Famous Quote: “Every word [of the Constitution] decides a question between power and liberty.”

Timeline

1771 Graduated from the College of New Jersey at Princeton

1776-1777 Member of the Virginia House of Delegates

1780-1783 Member of the Continental Congress

1784-1786 Member of the Virginia House of Delegates

1787 Primary author of the U.S. Constitution at the Constitutional Convention

1789-1797 U.S. representative

1798 Author of the Virginia Resolutions

1799-1800 Member of the Virginia House of Delegates

1801-1809 Secretary of state under President Thomas Jefferson

1809-1817 Fourth president of the United States

1812 Louisiana admitted to the Union

1816 Indiana admitted to the Union

1819 Helped create the American Colonization Society

1829 Chairman with James Monroe of the Virginia state Constitutional Convention