James Madison

James Madison was the fourth President of the United States, hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for the pivotal role he played in the drafting of the U.S. Constitution. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Bill of Rights. Born as the son of a wealthy tobacco planter, Madison had a comfortable upbringing and received education in varied subjects such as Latin, Greek, science, geography, mathematics, and philosophy. He also studied law though he had no intentions of working as a lawyer. He developed an early interest in politics and entered the field as a young adult. Madison represented Virginia at the Constitution Convention and actively participated in the debates, calling for a strong central government. He wrote the Virginia Plan in which he expressed his ideas about forming a federal government, and many of his suggestions were incorporated into the constitution. He also led the movement to ratify the constitution. He had found a mentor in Thomas Jefferson who he met during the American Revolutionary War. When Jefferson became the president, Madison served as the Secretary of State under him. Madison himself succeeded Jefferson as the president and served two terms from 1809 to 1817