| Timeline |
| 1751 |
Born 16 March in Virginia |
| 1769 |
Attends the College of New Jersey (now Princeton) |
| 1775 |
Colonel in the Orange County Militia |
| 1776 |
Elected Delegate to the Virginia Convention and the General Assembly |
| 1780 |
Delegate to the Continental Congress |
| 1787 |
Delegate to the Constitutional Convention; contributes to The Federalist Papers |
| 1789 |
Elected to the House of Representatives |
| 1794 |
Marries Dolley Payne Todd |
| 1801 |
Father dies, Madison inherits Montpelier |
| 1801 |
Serves as Secretary of State under Thomas Jefferson |
| 1809 |
Inaugurated fourth President of the United States |
| 1813 |
Begins second term as President |
| 1826 |
Appointed Rector of the University of Virginia |
| 1829 |
Delegate to Virginia's second constitutional convention |
| 1836 |
Dies 28 June in Virginia |
