James M. served as the fourth president of the U.S. and served two terms. His wife Dolley was considered an intelligent woman

James was an active politician and was a congressman for eight years before becoming president. He also helped write the constitution for his state.

James was called the ‘Father of the Constitution’ because he played an essential role in the Convention of the Constitution. And became friends with Thomas Jefferson.

After he was nominated president in 1808 one of his first jobs was to protect America’s neutrality

In the early 1800s, Britain and France were fighting for sea control . Britain eventually won control of the seas because it had such a powerful navy.

France was angry that it declared that no British goods could be delivered to European ports controlled by the French.

Britain was not happy, so it decided that any neutral countries that were trading with France had to pay them first at a British port.

Then Britain began attacking American ships and taking their cargo and sailors.

The U.S. was angry but James Madison didn’t want to go to war. But some people called War Hawks wanted to fight Britain.

Also, problems were escalating between the Americans and Native Americans. And the British supported the Natives and gave them guns and weapons, which made things more difficult

When the British set the white house on fire Doley was able to save many artifacts and important paper.