James Madison

Fourth president, 1809–1817

James “Jemmy” Madison may have been the shortest president at just five feet, but his true stature derived from his intellect. He coauthored, with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, the Federalist Papers (1787–88), a set of eighty-five essays arguing for the ratification of the Constitution, which remain among the greatest expressions of American political thought. Concerned that the Constitution tilted too far toward the interests of the federal government and neglected the individual, Madison wrote the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights.

As president, Madison tried to keep the United States from becoming embroiled in the conflicts in Europe, but after the British seized American ships in an effort to halt U.S. exports, the War of 1812 began.

Despite its controversial origins—and conclusion—this “Second American Revolution,” as it was sometimes called, ended European interference with the United States and created a strong sense of American nationalism.