James Madison

James Madison, the 'Father of the Constitution' and a chief architect of the Bill of Rights, became president in 1809 after serving as Jefferson's secretary of state.

His presidency was consumed by the War of 1812 against Britain, fought over maritime rights and the impressment of American sailors. British forces burned Washington, D.C., in 1814, forcing Madison and his wife Dolley to flee the White House. The war ended in a stalemate with the Treaty of Ghent, but Andrew Jackson's victory at New Orleans and a surge of national pride made it feel like a triumph, ushering in an era of confidence.

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