James Madison

James Madison and the Virginia Plan

As we discover the elements of “Constitutional Authority” there is one name that stands out from all the rest, James Madison. Madison was born in Virginia and rose to political fame after graduating from College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) served 8 years in the Virginia state legislature, sponsored the first 10 amendments to the Bill of Rights, he was also the lead engineer of the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Although small in stature, standing 5’4 he was considered the most creative political thinker of his generation. “Delegate William Pierce of Georgia wrote that,” in the management of every great question, Madison always comes forward the best informed Man of any point in debate.” Because James Madison was the author of the Virginia Plan, he earned the title “Father of the Constitution”. Even before the Revolutionary War, people of the United States were concerned with the future of the government. Questions were ask; would it revolt back to tyranny that Great Britain place upon the New World, or would they create a sovereign nation capable of dealing with future economic problems and monarchy evils. In May of 1787, fifty-five men known as the founding fathers were called together at a federal convention, to drastically overhaul the current government in its form.

Two plans were introduced at the convention; one was the New Jersey plan, which favored small states and equal representation of all states. The other was the Virginia plan, which favored large states that supported representation by wealth and population. There was a Bicameral Congress to ensure both plans were included. The Virginia plan, “furnished the basic framework and guiding principles”, of the Constitutional Convention. James Madison believed, along with other constituents from the Confederation Congress, that the current system was weak. The plan as Madison saw it, needed to replace the existing Articles of the Confederation, with a...