Why is the first lady called the first lady
The First Presidential Wife to Be Called the First Lady
Dali's the wife of the 4th President
James Madison like Jackie Kennedy
she loves French fashion and she knows
the importance of appearances Dolly's a
widow in her mid-20s when she first
meets the wealthy James Madison he's 17
years older she's three inches taller
he's the father of the Constitution
she's the mother of a two-year-old but
something about dolly catches the great
statesman's eye she was a personality
and she was one of those irresistible
types
Madison probably never looked at another
woman he's a little wisdom guy and he
went nuts over her absolutely crazy over
her they marry in 1794 and three years
later Madison takes dolly and her son to
live in Montpelier his family plantation
in Virginia while slaves pick Wheaton
tobacco dolly homes the social skills
which will serve her well as first lady
dolly and James Madison were really the
first American power couple but they
were very much aware of what they were
doing as a political entity we're in the
room where Dolly Madison did what she
was known for she entertained people and
she wasn't just someone who knew how to
throw a good party she was also very
much aware of how interior design and
style could communicate ideas so on the
mantle over here there's a bust of
Athena side-by-side with one of the
first published versions of the
Declaration of Independence so that's
making a very conscious connection
between the American project and
antiquity
in 1809 James Madison replaces Thomas
Jefferson as president and dolly can
practice her social skills on the
biggest stage of all in the White House
Dolly Madison began to have these
receptions it would bring everybody in
under the same roof she had great food
and she had whiskey punch which was not
served among nice people in those days
but she did and they loved doggy so
called squeezes serve an important
political function at a time when Party
rivalries can end in bloodshed dolly
uses her charm to bring opposing sides
together and to help her husband
I think Dolly Madison has amazing
political instincts she holds these
wonderful salons where people can put
aside the adversarial roles that they
have to play in the floor of Congress
and can meet and talk and compromise she
would walk the rooms you know going from
person to person learning valuable
information that she would share with
her husband it was just so perfectly
done some say the title first lady is
used for the first time in the eulogy at
Dolly's funeral she set the style for
the New Republic
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