Who Was James Madison? Educational Resources K12 Learning, United States, History Lesson Plans, Activities, Experiments, Homeschool Help

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James Madison was the shortest president to date (2016) at five feet, four inches. Napoleon was five feet, seven inches, so although his height was criticized, President Madison was three inches shorter! Good thing the presidency didn’t have a height restriction like astronauts!

"Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power." - James Madison

James Madison’s life and contributions to U.S. history

As the fourth president of the United States, James Madison was an important member of the country’s history.

What do you already know about him? Download, print and fill in the Graphic Organizer - KWL Chart found in Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar. The K portion is what you already know. The W portion is what you want to know, and the L portion is what you learn (when you are done with this lesson).

As a third, fourth, or fifth grader, you may already know a lot about the fourth president of the United States. What do you WANT to know about him?

Do you want to explore his personal story or his education?
Do you want to know about his contributions to the Constitution and Bill of Rights?
Do you want to know more about his service to the government before he became president?

James Madison was a great contributor to the history of the United States, and after this lesson, you will be able to name three of those contributions. First, create a list of three or more areas you would like to study about President Madison. Put that in the W column of your KWL chart.

Watch Biography of James Madison - America's 4th President:

James Madison was often sick as a child. What effect do you think that may have had on his childhood and adulthood? Is your health important to your future aspirations and abilities?

Make a list of the complications that could come from not being healthy. Could it hinder your chances for opportunities? Explain your thinking and share with an adult.