James Madison Facts for Kids

A Picture of James Madison
  • Name: James Madison
  • Profession: American Politician
  • Born: March 16th, 1751 in Port Conway, Virginia, British America
  • Died: June 28th, 1836 in Montpelier, Virginia, United States
  • Resting Place: Montpelier, Virginia, United States
  • Legacy: Founding Father and 4th President of the United States

23 James Madison Facts for Kids

  1. James Madison was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and severed as a U.S. President.
  2. James Madison is most famous for being a founding father of the United States, serving as the fourth U.S. President (1809 to 1817) and is work on United States Constitution and Bill of Rights.
  3. James Madison was born on March 16th, 1751 in Port Conway, Virginia, British America.
  4. James Madison was the son of Virginia politician James Madison Sr. and Nelly Madison.
  5. James Madison had 11 siblings, seven brothers and four sisters. He was the oldest child of James and Nelly Madison.
  6. James Madison married Dolley Payne on September 15th, 1794.
  7. James and Dolley never had any biological children, but Madison was the stepfather to John Todd and William Todd. These two boys were from Dolley’s previous marriage, her first husband died in 1793 from yellow fever.
  8. James Madison died of congestive heart failure at the age of 85 on June 28th, 1836 in Montpelier, Virginia, USA.
  9. James Madison was laid to rest in Montpelier Estate in Orange County, Virginia, USA.
  10. In 1774, Madison received a seat on the local pro-revolution group Committee of Safety. This group was responsible for overseeing the local militia.
  11. In 1775, Madison was given a commission as a colonel for the Orange County militia.
  12. Between 1762 and 1767, Madison studied under Scottish instructor Donald Robertson.
  13. Between 1769 and 1772, Madison attended the College of New Jersey, which today is known as Princeton University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.
  14. Between 1786 and 1787, Madison served as a delegate to the Congress of the Confederation for Virginia.
  15. Between 1789 and 1793, Madison served in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 5th district of Virginia.
  16. In 1789, Madison introduced the United States Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791.
  17. In 1789, both Madison and Thomas Jefferson founded the Democratic-Republican Party.
  18. Between 1793 and 1797, Madison served in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 15th district of Virginia.
  19. Between 1801 and 1809, Madison served as the Secretary of State under U.S. President Thomas Jefferson.
  20. Between 1809 and 1817, Madison served two full terms as the President of the United States.
  21. In 1817, Madison retired from politics and returned to his tobacco plantation Virginia, USA.
  22. In 1826, Madison was appointed to the highest position for the University of Virginia after the death of Thomas Jefferson. Both Jefferson and Madison helped establish the University of Virginia in 1819.
  23. In 1829, Madison would return to politics for a short time and be representative to the Virginia Constitutional Convention.

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