What do you think the United States would look like if the original Bill of Rights did not exist? Well, if the Bill of Rights had not been proposed to Congress and ratified by the states in December of 1791, the Constitution might not have been ratified. The Constitution could have potentially allowed the abuse of power by the government and invaded the individual liberties of civilians. James Madison, the man who stood between this fate and the future of our country. The man who was known for his major contributions to the drafting of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, earning him the title named the father of both documents, who led our nation during the War of 1812 against Great Britain, and is the smallest President in U.S. history. James Madison is not only a huge role model for the U.S., but also for understanding government in modern times. He shows us the art of perseverance, hard work, and never quitting, and is one of the founding fathers who gave America its personality that we still have to this day.

James Madison was born on March 16, 1751, at Belle Grove plantation in Port Conway Virginia. Madison was the oldest of twelve children, consisting of seven brothers and four sisters. His parents, James Madison Sr. and Nelly Conway Madison, played a huge role in Madison' s early life. He had an unbreakable bond with both his parents, and they would raise him with guidance and a mindset of respect. Although James Madison was often ill as a child, he was also naturally inquisitive and studious. His family later moved to their plantation estate, The Montpelier, in Orange County, Virginia. (National Archives and Records Administration - James Madison)

Madison was always intelligent from the start and showed this in his early education. Madison's early education included learning from his mother and a Scottish teacher, Donald Robertson, focusing on subjects like mathematics, geography, and Latin. His life followed a standard pattern of the Virginia gentry, who became educated in plantation management, received an elite education from boarding schools or private tutors, and learned to master a household, including the enslaved population. Madison took on the challenge of college in 1769 and pursued higher education at the College of New Jersey, now known as Princeton University. In 1769, he rode horseback to the College of New Jersey. He studied classical languages, mathematics, geography, philosophy, and Hebrew. He graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1771. (Britannica)

Madison returned to Montpelier, Virginia, and became involved in local politics. He served on the Orange County Committee in 1774. He went to prominence during the Revolutionary War, and served as a delegate to the Virginia Convention in 1776, where he helped draft the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Constitution. Madison met and formed a close friendship with Thomas Jefferson in the Virginia legislature. He was later appointed to the Virginia Council of State, and in 1780 he was elected as the youngest member of the Continental Congress. (Britannica)