James Madison was the fourth man elected to the Presidency of the United States.  Following Thomas Jefferson was no easy feat, to be sure, but he did manage to hold onto the office from 1809 to 1817, a full eight years.  During his tenure as President he had two different Vice Presidents, George Clinton and Elbridge Gerry.  Also, he spent four of his eight years without a VP. 

President Madison was one of the founders of the United States and assisted in it's formation through serving in the Continental Congress during the 1776 Declaration of Independence signing and afterwards. 

James Madison was an emphatic speaker.  He was passionate about his position.  He was an important part of the ratification of the Constitution of the United States.  In it's original form, the Constitution was 4 pages long, with each page dimension 28 3/4 in. by 23 5/8 in.  Not a very big document to determine the entire future government involvement in citizen matters.  The intentions of the original Constitution of the United States was more than inferred in the first three words:  "We, the People."  Madison was called the "Father of the Constitution" which he protested.  He said that one man could not have made those rules, but that the content was from the meeting of minds who had a greater purpose than any single man. 

In addition to the original Constitution Madison also helped to frame the Bill of Rights.  Because of his refusal to allow the Federalist Alexander Hamilton try to work out revenue issues within the Constitution which would give an unequal wealth and power to the northern colonies he helped to also develop a new political party.  The new party, Republicans or Jeffersonian party after Thomas Jefferson who also believed it best that the government should not create equality nor disparity. 

An embargo ensued while Madison was Secretary of State under Thomas Jefferson against France and Great Britain.  The embargo was in effect because both nations were unnecessarily attacking and destroying US ships.  The United States was not involved in their battles.  Although the embargo was lifted before Madison was elected President in 1808, America did not continue trade business with France and Great Britain until 1810.  The embargo was lifted only after agreement between the two warring nations acknowledged America's neutrality and that we would be doing business with both countries.

The War of 1812 came because the British chose to not adhere to the agreements, and in addition, Napoleon also merely pretended to comply with the trade agreements.  Congress declared war on June 1, 1812.  The White House was burned to the ground by the British as the American troops were not strong enough or many enough to fight them off successfully.  The Capitol building was also burned.

Thanks to the strength and valor of General Andrew Jackson at the battle of New Orleans the United States began to feel empowered.  They felt they had won the war after all.  Such a feeling of pride over the nation was felt that the Federalist party, who had threatened secession, was ridiculed and disbanded as a national party.  Such goes the true tyrants, those who do not choose liberty over tyrany.

Although James Madison was truly more "Republican" than Federalist, he implored in a letter that was opened after his death that the Union of the States be cherished and perpetuated.  Thus came the title:  United States of America.