Among historians and in polls of leading historians, Madison is considered one of the most important Founding Fathers of the United States, and these historians have generally ranked him as an above-average president, although they are critical of his endorsement of slavery and his leadership during the War of 1812. Madison's name is commemorated in many landmarks across the nation, both publicly and privately, with prominent examples including Madison Square Garden, James Madison University, and the USS James Madison.

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Early life and education
James Madison Jr. was born on March 16, 1751 (March 5, 1750, Old Style), at Belle Grove Plantation near Port Conway in the Colony of Virginia, to James Madison Sr. and Eleanor Rose Conway Madison. His family had lived in Virginia since the mid-17th century.[6] Madison's maternal grandfather, Francis Conway, was a prominent planter and tobacco merchant.[7] His father was a tobacco planter who grew up on a plantation, then called Mount Pleasant, which he had inherited upon reaching adulthood. 