James Madison

"...these United States are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states..." 

WHO HE WAS: James Madison was born in 1751 in Virginia. He was the oldest of ten children and was born into a very wealthy family. He was very intelligent and graduated from college in only two years. 

While he was at college, he belonged to a club of students who were critical of the British laws and taxes that were imposed on the colonists. When he returned to Virginia after college, He continued to associate with other people who disagreed with British, including Patrick Henry. He was one of the Virginia delegates to the Second Continental Congress and supported the following resolution: 

WHAT HE SAID:  "Resolved, that these United States are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."