Jefferson easily retained the presidency in the election of 1804, trouncing Federalist Charles Cotesworth Pinckney of South Carolina. A looming problem was the threat of war with both France and Britain that led Jefferson to try a novel tactic, an embargo. His successor, James Madison, continued with a modified embargo, but his much narrower margin of victory over Pinckney in the election of 1808 indicated growing dissatisfaction with the Jefferson-Madison handling of foreign policy.

Madison broke with Jefferson on one very domestic matter: He encouraged his gregarious wife, Dolley Madison, to participate in serious domestic politics. Under her leadership, the White House hosted frequent social events, which fostered political networking. Under his leadership, the country declared war in 1812 on Britain and on Tecumseh’s Indian confederacy. The two-year war cost the young nation its White House and its Capitol, but victory was proclaimed at the end nonetheless.