James Madison was the principal author of the United States Constitution, and is often the “Father of the Constitution.” He wrote over a third of the Federalist Papers in 1788, the most influential commentary on the Constitution.

 

 

As president, he led the poorly prepared nation into the War of 1812 against Great Britain. A series of disasters at the beginning of the war damaged his reputation, but by 1814–15 American forces repulsed the British. After the war, Madison reversed many of his positions. By 1815, he supported the creation of the second National Bank, a strong military, and a high tariff to protect the new factories opened during the war.