29 moments

1. Birth at Belle Grove

   1751-03-16 · Belle Grove plantation site, near Port Conway, Virginia, British America

   

   Madison was born at the Conway family’s Belle Grove plantation near Port Conway, Virginia. Belle Grove no longer survives; coordinates represent the Port Conway-area birthplace site.

2. Enrollment at the College of New Jersey

   1769-01-01 · College of New Jersey, Princeton, New Jersey, British America

   

   Madison left Virginia for collegiate study at the College of New Jersey, the institution now known as Princeton University. Coordinates are for the present Princeton University campus, the historic College of New Jersey site.

3. Graduation from the College of New Jersey

   1771-01-01 · College of New Jersey, Princeton, New Jersey, British America

   

   Madison completed the College of New Jersey bachelor’s degree in two years with Aaron Burr, then remained for further study. Coordinates are for the present Princeton University campus.

4. Return to Montpelier

   1772-01-01 · Montpelier, Orange County, Virginia, British America

   

   After additional study at Princeton, Madison returned to the family home at Montpelier in Orange County. The source specifies early 1772 but not a month or day.

5. Orange County Committee of Safety

   1774-01-01 · Montpelier, Orange County, Virginia, British America

   

   Back at Montpelier, Madison joined the local revolutionary Committee of Safety, beginning his formal political activity.

6. Orange County militia commission

   1775-10-01 · Orange County, Virginia, British America

   

   Madison received a commission as colonel in the Orange County militia and served as his father’s second-in-command. Coordinates represent Montpelier in Orange County, Madison's documented home and militia area; the source does not identify a militia headquarters.

7. Delegate at the Fifth Virginia Convention

   1776-05-01 · Colonial Capitol, Williamsburg, Virginia, British America

   

   Madison attended the convention that produced Virginia’s first constitution and declaration of rights. The card date uses the opening month of a convention held May 6–July 5, 1776.

8. Continental Congress service in Philadelphia

   1780-06-23 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

   

   As a Virginia delegate in the Continental Congress, Madison wrote Jefferson from Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War. Coordinates mark Independence Hall, the principal Continental Congress venue in Philadelphia.

9. Virginia Assembly session

   1785-01-09 · Virginia State Capitol area, Richmond, Virginia, United States

   

   Madison wrote Washington from Richmond while serving in Virginia’s legislature and reporting on river-navigation legislation. Coordinates represent the Virginia Capitol area; the eighteenth-century capitol building was on this site.

10. Return from Richmond to Orange

    1785-03-20 · Orange County, Virginia, United States

    

    After the legislative session, Madison reported that he had exchanged Richmond for Orange, returning to his home district. Coordinates represent Montpelier, Madison's Orange County residence.

11. Journey onward to New York

    1785-10-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    

    During his 1785 northern journey, Madison traveled from Philadelphia to New York before returning to Philadelphia. The source dates the letter October 3, 1785 but does not give Madison's New York arrival date.

12. Visit to Philadelphia

    1785-10-03 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    

    On a journey north, Madison stated that he had come to Philadelphia, continued to New York, and returned to Philadelphia before leaving for Virginia. Coordinates mark Independence Hall in central Philadelphia.

13. Constitutional Convention delegate

    1787-05-01 · Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    

    Madison participated in the Philadelphia convention that drafted the United States Constitution, with his Virginia Plan furnishing its initial framework. Madison is identified by the same source as a leading convention proponent and as having arrived in Philadelphia before it began.

14. Early arrival for the Constitutional Convention

    1787-05-01 · Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    

    Madison arrived in Philadelphia ahead of the Constitutional Convention and prepared the program that became the Virginia Plan. The convention began May 25, 1787; the source establishes an arrival eleven days earlier but this card retains month precision.

15. Congressional business after the convention

    1787-10-24 · New York City, New York, United States

    

    After the Constitutional Convention, Madison was in New York on Confederation Congress business and circulated the convention’s result abroad. Coordinates represent central New York City; the letter does not identify a specific building.

16. Virginia Ratifying Convention

    1788-06-04 · Virginia State Capitol area, Richmond, Virginia, United States

    

    Madison reached Richmond for Virginia’s ratifying convention and became a principal defender of the proposed federal Constitution. The letter is datelined Richmond, June 4, 1788.

17. Return to New York after Virginia ratification

    1788-07-24 · New York City, New York, United States

    

    Following the Virginia convention’s ratification vote, Madison returned to New York and reported the result to Thomas Jefferson. The letter is datelined New York, July 24, 1788.

18. First Congress in New York

    1789-05-27 · Federal Hall site, New York City, New York, United States

    

    Madison served in the first U.S. House of Representatives while the federal government met in New York City. Coordinates mark the Federal Hall site, where the First Congress met.

19. Marriage to Dolley at Harewood

    1794-09-01 · Harewood, near Charles Town, Virginia, United States

    

    Madison and Dolley Payne Todd traveled to Harewood in present-day West Virginia for their wedding. The cited biography dates the marriage September 15, 1794; the Harewood wedding location is in present-day Jefferson County, West Virginia.

20. Return to Montpelier with Dolley

    1797-01-01 · Montpelier, Orange County, Virginia, United States

    

    After leaving the House of Representatives, Madison returned to Montpelier with Dolley and began enlarging the residence. The source dates this construction phase to 1797–1800; the card uses the stated starting year.

21. Secretary of State in Washington

    1801-07-24 · Department of State, Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    

    As Thomas Jefferson’s secretary of state, Madison conducted U.S. foreign correspondence from the Department of State in Washington. The source identifies the Department of State in Washington but not its exact contemporary office building; coordinates represent central Washington.

22. Presidential inauguration

    1809-03-04 · United States Capitol, Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    

    Madison took the presidential oath in the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol, beginning his first term as president.

23. Flight from Washington after Bladensburg

    1814-08-24 · Virginia shore of the Potomac River above Little Falls, Virginia, United States

    

    Following the Battle of Bladensburg and the British advance on Washington, Madison escaped capture by fleeing across the Potomac into Virginia. The source establishes flight to Virginia but not a precise stopping point. Coordinates are a representative point on the Virginia Potomac shore near the documented crossing area.

24. Refuge at Brookeville

    1814-08-27 · Brookeville, Maryland, United States

    

    Madison took refuge at Brookeville during the British occupation crisis and prepared to return to the capital after learning the enemy had withdrawn. The document is a letter written by Madison from Brookeville.

25. Return to burned Washington

    1814-08-27 · Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    

    Madison left Brookeville and returned to Washington with senior officials after the British evacuation of the city. Coordinates represent central Washington; the source does not specify the precise arrival building.

26. Retirement to Montpelier

    1817-01-01 · Montpelier, Orange County, Virginia, United States

    

    At the conclusion of his second presidential term, Madison retired full-time to Montpelier with Dolley.

27. University of Virginia Board meeting

    1826-04-03 · University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States

    

    Madison attended a meeting of the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors during the institution’s formative years. Madison was present on April 3–4; the card date gives the first documented meeting day.

28. Virginia Constitutional Convention

    1829-01-01 · Virginia State Capitol, Richmond, Virginia, United States

    

    Madison made his final appearance as a statesman at Virginia’s constitutional convention in Richmond. The convention met in Richmond from October 5, 1829, to January 15, 1830; the source identifies Madison as a representative but does not supply a precise attendance date.

29. Death at Montpelier

    1836-06-28 · Montpelier, Orange County, Virginia, United States

    

    Madison died at his Montpelier home in Orange County, Virginia, ending a public career that had spanned the Revolution through the early republic.