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Born on 16 March 1751, the eldest son of the wealthiest landholder in Orange County, Virginia, James Madison was destined for a life of privilege and responsibility. The triad of land, slaves, and tobacco supported him throughout his long life, allowing him to concentrate on politics and the intellectual pursuits he loved.

In 1769, after several years of local schooling and private tutoring, Madison enrolled at the College of New Jersey in Princeton, where he was introduced to the thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment, among them Francis Hutcheson, David Hume, and Adam Smith. Madison proved a voracious student, consuming four years of coursework in two and graduating in 1771. After a year of graduate studies, he returned home, and the deepening imperial crisis soon drew him into what became a lifelong career in politics.