Politics · Literature · Philosophy · 1751–1836

James Madison — Age, Birthday & Biography

Born: 16 March 1751 · Died: 28 June 1836 · Age: 85

Father of the US Constitution and author of the Bill of Rights, who became the fourth President of the United States

Did you know?Standing at five feet four inches tall, he is the shortest person ever to have served as President of the United States.

Quick facts

  • Date of birth16 March 1751
  • Date of death28 June 1836
  • Age at death85
  • Cause of deathHeart failure
  • NationalityAmerican
  • BirthplacePort Conway, United States
  • Occupationpolitician, writer, diplomat

Editor's Take:

Madison is often called the 'Father of the Constitution' because so much of America's founding framework came from his careful planning. He arrived at the 1787 Philadelphia convention with detailed proposals for a strong, balanced government, and his notes remain the best record of the debates. With Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, he wrote the Federalist Papers, persuading Americans to adopt the new system. He also drafted the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments that protect freedoms such as speech and religion. As fourth president, he led the country through the War of 1812 against Britain.

Key Milestones

  1. 1787: Helps draft the Constitution in Philadelphia
  2. 1789: Proposes the Bill of Rights in Congress
  3. 1801: Becomes Secretary of State
  4. 1809: Becomes the 4th President

James Madison (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836) was a Founding Father and the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Before his presidency, Madison was a statesman and diplomat.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”
— James Madison, The Federalist No. 51, 1788

Profile

James Madison: Father of the Constitution

4th US president, born 1751

James Madison was born in Port Conway on 16 March 1751.

He drafted much of the US Constitution.

He co-wrote The Federalist Papers.

He led the country through the War of 1812.

Career highlights

  1. 1787Constitution: Philadelphia convention
  2. 1788Federalist Papers: co-author
  3. 1789Bill of Rights: proposed
  4. 1801Secretary of State: under Jefferson
  5. 1809President: inaugurated

Did you know?At about 5 feet 4 inches, he was the shortest US president.

Age at death
85
Years since death
190

Explore James Madison's birthday

Questions people ask

Frequently asked questions

When is James Madison's birthday?
James Madison's birthday is March 16. He was born on March 16, 1751 in Port Conway, United States.
How old was James Madison when he died?
James Madison died on June 28, 1836, aged 85.
Who shares a birthday with James Madison?
Famous people who share James Madison's March 16 birthday include Richard Stallman, Sully Prudhomme, Georg Simon Ohm, Jens Stoltenberg and Francisco Pizarro.

Born on the same day6

March 16 →
Richard Stallmanb. 1953

Richard Stallman

ActivismAge 73
View profile

Photo: Patafisik · CC BY-SA 4.0

Sully Prudhomme1839–1907

Sully Prudhomme

LiteratureDied aged 68
View profile

Photo: Unknown Unknown , uploaded, stitched and restored by Jebulon · Public domain

Georg Simon Ohm1789–1854

Georg Simon Ohm

ScienceDied aged 65
View profile

Photo: Original: unknown · Public domain

Jens Stoltenbergb. 1959

Jens Stoltenberg

PoliticsAge 67
View profile

Photo: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Washington D.C, United States · CC BY 2.0

Francisco Pizarro1478–1541

Francisco Pizarro

MilitaryDied aged 63
View profile

Photo: Amable-Paul Coutan · Public domain

Mark Carneyb. 1965

Mark Carney

PoliticsAge 61
View profile

Photo: Bryan Berlin · CC BY-SA 4.0

Missing someone? Suggest them

Also Pisces4

All →

Birthday gift ideas

We may earn a small commission from purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Further reading

Reviewed by the Who Shares My Birthday editorial team.

Last reviewed: October 2026