The White House
The White House: Presidents: James Madison
The official White House biography of James Madison, the father of the constitution.
Read Works
Read Works: u.s. Presidents James Madison
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about James Madison, the fourth President of the United States. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
A&E Television
History.com: American Presidents: James Madison
This easy-to-navigate site has James Madison's biography, significant events in his life, an image gallery, and several video clips.
Other
Potus: James Madison
Comprehensive facts about James Madison and his presidency. Includes biography, election results, cabinet members, odd facts, and notable events.
University of Virginia
Miller Center at Uva: u.s. Presidents: James Madison
The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia provides an extensive biography on the life of James Madison. Provides information about his life before and after the presidency as well as his policies on foreign and domestic...
Center For Civic Education
Center for Civic Education: James Madison and Executive Power
James Madison has been called the "Father of the Constitution". His ideas have shaped the role of our government, the role of political parties, the Bill of Rights and more. This lesson offers extensive background, critical thinking...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: James Madison
A brief biography of James Madison. Find out why James Madison was called the father of the constitution. Learn how his life affected the United States. (In Spanish)
University of Chicago
The Founders' Constitution: James Madison to George Washington
The original text of a letter from James Madison to George Washington discussing his ideas for a new national government that were to soon be presented to the Constitutional Convention as the Virginia Plan.
Library of Congress
Loc: American Memory: George Washington to James Madison, 1787
Read George Washington's observations of the delegates, particularly the Anti-Federalists, at the Constitutional Convention, and the objections the opposition presented, which Washington cites in the letter. View an image of the original...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: James Madison: From Father of the Constitution to President
In this Curriculum Unit, students will consider "James Madison: From Father of the Constitution to President" in 4 Lessons. The unit also includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
Read Works
Read Works: American Government James Madison
[Free Registration/Login Required] This nonfiction passage contains biographical information on "Father of the United States Constitution" and former United States President, James Madison. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece...
Cato Institute
James Madison's Vision of Liberty [Pdf]
An article by the CATO institute about James Madison's vision for his writing and contribution for the U.S. Constitutional Convention. Includes information on his views of a limited government for citizens' rights.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Gilder Lehrman Institute: Age of Jefferson and Madison
[Free Registration/Login Required] After a brief description of Thomas Jefferson's and James Madison's contributions to the early ideology and government of the new United States in their authorship of the Declaration of Independence and...
Other
Touro Law Center: William Marbury vs. James Madison
Transcript of the landmark court case that established the constitutional principle of judicial review. Judicial review is the concept that the federal judiciary has final power as to whether an act of the Congress or the Executive...
Yale University
Avalon Project: Madison Debates
Read online from James Madison's report of William Patterson's proposal of the New Jersey Plan at the Federal Convention, 1787. Link to related document: Articles of Confederation as related specifically to each proposal in the New...
University of Chicago
The Founders' Constitution: Deficiencies of the Confederation
The original text of a 1787 article in which James Madison discusses the failures of the Articles of Confederation. An interesting look at the problems with the states and with foreign countries.
Library of Congress
Loc: Madison's Treasures
Documents presented here relate to two seminal events in which Madison played a major role: the drafting and ratification of the Constitution of the United States (1787-1788) and the introduction (1789) in the First Federal Congress of...
Siteseen
Siteseen: Land of the Brave: James Madison
Overview and biographical facts on the life of James Madison, the "Father of the Constitution".
Patsy Stevens
Garden of Praise: Biographies for Kids: James Madison
A great early elementary-level site for biographical information on James Madison. Definitions and pronunciation guides are provided for words that may be unfamiliar to beginning readers. Includes links to biographies of other presidents.
US National Archives
Nara: Charters of Freedom: Constitution of the United States
Comprehensive overview of the U.S. Constitution. Places the Constitution in context with two other founding charters of American democracy and government, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Includes access to digital...
Princeton University
Princeton: The Constitutional Convention of 1787
Information about a group of nine delegates to the Constitutional Convention, all of whom had attended Princeton University. Explains Princeton's role in the convention, with longer biographical entries for three Princeton-education...
Library of Congress
Loc: The United States Constitution
See transcripts of the debates of the Federal Convention of 1787, the draft of the Constitution, or see the facsimiles of the original documents. Trace the progress of the Constitution using the historical documents themselves.
University of Chicago
The Founders' Constitution: Constitutional Convention
A list of links to texts of original documents written by participants in the Constitutional Conventions, relating to their attempts to create an acceptable national constitution. Organized in chronological order.