John Marshall was a key adviser to the nation's first two presidents and the chief justice of the Supreme Court for thirty- five years. Marshall, born on September 24, 1755, spent his early years working on the family farm in Virginia. At age fourteen, Marshall briefly attended a nearby academy. Swept up in the growing colonial rebelliousness toward Great Britain in the early 1770s, Marshall began reading law books. By age twenty, he intended to make law his career.

When the American Revolution broke out in 1775, Marshall enlisted in the Continental Army. Marshall participated in several major battles and was with General George Washington at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, during the miserable winter of 1776-77. With his persuasive personality and strong leadership ability, Marshall received many promotions. Still interested in the law, Marshall attended lectures on law at the College of William and Mary.

After the war, Marshall moved...