Who is known as the "Father of the Constitution"?

• A. George Washington
• B. Thomas Jefferson
• C. James Madison
• D. Alexander Hamilton

Answer: (C)

This question tests recognizing who played the central role in creating the U.S. Constitution. James Madison earned the title "Father of the Constitution" because of his direct, hands-on work in drafting the document, his Virginia Plan that laid out a new framework for government, and his detailed notes that illuminate what happened at the Constitutional Convention. He helped shape the structure of the new government with three branches, checks and balances, and he advocated for a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties. While George Washington provided crucial leadership by presiding over the convention, and Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton influenced ideas in other ways, Madison was the principal drafter and organizer whose efforts produced the Constitution itself.