University of Groningen
American History: Presidents: James Madison
Included are James Madison's two inaugural addresses, his State of the Nation speeches, as well as other writings related to the Constitution. Of particular interest is his speech of 1812.
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: James Madison
James Madison's slight stature and reserved personality gave little indication of his keen intellect and shrewd nature. No other Founder had as much influence in crafting, ratifying, and interpreting the United States Constitution and...
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.
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)
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: James Madison: From Father of the Constitution to President
In this Curriculum Unit, young scholars 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...
![James Madison's Vision of Liberty [Pdf] Article](https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "James Madison's Vision of Liberty [Pdf] Article")
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.
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...
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...
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.
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: Constitution of the United States of America (1787)
The Constitution was written in the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by delegates from 12 states, in order to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new form of government. It created a federal system with a national...
US National Archives
Nara: Founding Fathers: Delegates to the Constitutional Convention
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) provides biographies of all 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention.
Digital History
Digital History: The Debate Over Ratifying the Constitution [Pdf]
Read about why ratification of the United States' new constitution was such a struggle. Find arguments for and against ratification, and discover who supported the Federalist position and who the Anti-Federalist position. [PDF]
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1754 1800: The Federalist Papers
In the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay made the case for ratifying the new US Constitution.
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: Constitutional Principles
James Madison knew that a key challenge of maintaining just government was framing it in such a way that the government would be forced to control itself. How does a system of separated powers-and the checks and balances built into those...
Yale University
Avalon Project: The Federalist Papers
With this resource, you can search by keyword for particular subjects within the Federalist Papers, or you can access by number each of the Papers. Also available are links to four related documents: The Annapolis Convention, Articles of...
Henry J. Sage
Sage American History: Benjamin Franklin's Speech
From James Madison's notes, this speech is Benjamin Franklin's final speech of the Constitutional Convention.
Library of Congress
Loc: American Memory: Debates in Several State Conventions
Read the authentic notes on Virginia's selection of their delegates to the Federal Constitutional Convention. The transcript describes the nominations and the final tally - George Washington, Patrick Henry, Edmund Randolph, John Blair,...
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: Founding Fathers
This site provides a very brief description of three of the founding fathers of the Constitution: Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington. The site provides links to further biographies of all three men as well as...
Digital History
Digital History: The Men of Philadelphia [Pdf]
Find short biographies of twenty-three of the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention and their ideas about government. These men were certainly not representative of the common man in the new United States, but they were...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: After the Fact: Virginia, New Yok, and "The Federalist Papers"
Read about the necessity for Virginia and New York to support the ratification of the Constitution. See what influenced the vote in Virginia and how the legislature of New York was finally convinced.