James Madison
The chief architect of the Constitution and author of the Bill of Rights. He let the first national bank's charter expire, led the country into the War of 1812, fled when the British burned Washington in 1814, and after the war signed a second national bank and the first protective tariff.
The economy, first day to last
Shaded areas show the years in office, with a few years before and after for comparison. Until 1842 the federal budget year matched the calendar year and debt figures are dated January 1; from 1843 to 1976 budget years ran July to June.
National debt
January 1, 1809: $57.02 million → January 1, 1817: $123.49 million
The War of 1812 more than doubled the debt. Until 1842 the Treasury's debt figures are dated January 1, so these are the closest readings to the start and end of the term.
Debt compared with the economy
Debt as a share of GDP. Above 100% means the debt is bigger than a year of everything the country produces.
Deficits and surpluses
Money borrowed each budget year (below the line) or paid down (above). The White House budget office's yearly figures begin in 1901.
Unemployment
No national estimates before 1890. Economist Stanley Lebergott's yearly estimates, the earliest national series, begin in 1890
Inflation
How much prices rose each year (consumer price index).
Cost of living
What everyday prices and paychecks did while in office.
Prices use the consumer price index (MeasuringWorth). The minimum wage is the federal rate set by Congress.
Executive orders
1 orders. Count from the American Presidency Project.
Orders signed each year
Yearly counts aren't reliable for this era. Orders were not numbered until 1907, when the State Department numbered the ones already in its files, and many orders were never numbered at all, so only the total is shown.
Source: American Presidency Project: executive orders (full list of every order).
Notable orders
Most orders in this era were routine, such as setting aside public land or exempting jobs from civil service rules.
Pardons and commutations
A pardon wipes out the punishment for a federal crime; a commutation shortens a sentence but leaves the conviction. The Justice Department's published counts begin in 1900.
Granted each year
The Justice Department's published clemency counts begin in fiscal 1900, so there are no reliable yearly totals for this presidency.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice, clemency statistics, which lists every recipient with the crime and sentence.
Notable grants: tap to see the crime
Jean Lafitte's BaratariansPardonFebruary 6, 1815
The crime: Smuggling and piracy in the Gulf of Mexico
Sentence: Various
Why it drew attention: Pardoned for fighting alongside Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans.
SourceInvestigations and legal record
The same checklist for every president. Tap a row for details and sources.
ImpeachedNoNo
No articles of impeachment were voted on.
Criminally chargedNoNo
Never charged.
Aides or cabinet convictedNoNo
No member of his cabinet or White House staff was convicted.
Special counselsNoNo
None were appointed.
Misuse of DOJ, FBI or IRSNo findingNo
No official investigation found he used federal power against political opponents.
People around the president who were charged or penalized
Controversies and scandals
What happened, what was proven, and how it ended.
The War of 1812Disputed1812–1815
Madison asked for the first declaration of war in U.S. history, over British seizures of sailors and ships, with a small army and navy. The invasion of Canada failed and the British burned the White House and Capitol.
Outcome: The Treaty of Ghent restored prewar borders; New England Federalists who opposed the war discredited themselves.
SourceSlaveholdingProven1801–1836
Madison owned about 100 enslaved people at Montpelier and called slavery an evil while depending on it.
Outcome: His will did not free them.
SourceIn their own words
Widely quoted remarks, with the context they were said in.
If men were angels, no government would be necessary.
A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both.