James Madison

James Madison

James Madison, the fourth president of the United States and "the Father of the Constitution", was born on March 16, 1751 in Port Conway, Virginia. His parents were James and Nelly Conway-Madison and he was the eldest of 12 children. At the age of 18, he entered the College of New Jersey. He took an active interest in politics and was an early member of the American Whig Society. He completed the regular course at the college in two years and graduated in 1771.

Madison entered politics in 1774, when he was elected to the Committee of Safety in Orange County, VA. A committee of this kind dealt with local government issues during the time. From there, he helped draft a new Virginia constitution and the Virginia Declaration of Rights. This was only the start of Madison's political involvement. He served as