20 Best Book On James Madison (2023 Update)

Stewart restores james madison, sometimes overshadowed by his fellow founders, to his proper place as the most significant framer of the new nation.short, plain, balding, neither soldier nor orator, low on charisma and high on intelligence, madison cared more about achieving results than taking the credit. to reach his lifelong goal of a self-governing constitutional republic, he blended his talents with those of key partners. it was madison who led the drive for the constitutional convention and pressed for an effective new government as his patron george washington lent the effort legitimacy; madison who wrote the federalist papers with alexander hamilton to secure the constitution's ratification; madison who corrected the greatest blunder of the constitution by drafting and securing passage of the bill of rights with washington's support; madison who joined thomas jefferson to found the nation’s first political party and move the nation toward broad democratic principles; madison, with james monroe, who guided the new nation through its first war in 1812, really its second war of independence; and it was madison who handed the reins of government to the last of the founders, his old friend and sometime rival monroe. these were the main characters in his life. but it was his final partnership that allowed madison to escape his natural shyness and reach the greatest heights. dolley was the woman he married in middle age and who presided over both him and an enlivened white house. this partnership was a love story, a unique one that sustained madison through his political rise, his presidency, and a fruitful retirement.

James madison presented his most celebrated and studied political ideas in his contributions to the federalist, the essays that he, alexander hamilton, and john jay wrote in 1787-1788 to secure ratification of the u.s. constitution. rakove shows in a politician thinking, however, those essays do not illustrate the full complexity and vigor of madison's thinking. in this book, rakove pushes beyond what madison thought to examine how he thought, showing that this founder's political genius lay less in the content of his published writings than in the ways he turned his creative mind to solving real political problems. rakove begins his analysis by examining how madison drew upon his experiences as a member of the continental congress and as a virginia legislator to develop his key ideas. after discussing madison's approach to the challenge of constitutional change, rakove emphasizes his strikingly modern understanding of legislative deliberation, which he treated as the defining problem of republican government. rakove also addresses madison's deliberation about ways to protect the rights of individuals and political minorities from the rule of "factious majorities." the book closes by tracing how madison developed strategies for maintaining long-term constitutional stability and adjusting to the new realities of governance under the constitution. engaging and accessible, a politician thinking offers new insight concerning a key constitutional thinker and the foundations of the american constitutional system.

In fact, many of the thirteen states saw fierce debate over the document, and ratification was by no means certain. virginia, the largest and most influential state, approved the constitution by the barest of margins, and only after an epic political battle between james madison and patrick henry. now richard labunski offers a dramatic account of a time when the entire american experiment hung in the balance, only to be saved by the most unlikely of heroes–the diminutive and exceedingly shy madison. here is a vividly written account of not one but several major political struggles which changed the course of american history. labunski takes us inside the sweltering converted theater in richmond, where for three grueling weeks, the soft-spoken madison and the charismatic patrick henry fought over whether virginia should ratify the constitution. the stakes were enormous. if virginia voted no, george washington could not become president, new york might follow suit and reject the constitution, and the young nation would be thrust into political chaos. but madison won the day by a handful of votes, mollifying anti-federalist fears by promising to add a bill of rights to the constitution. to do this, madison would have to win a seat in the first congress. labunski shows how the vengeful henry prevented madison's appointment to the senate and then used his political power to ensure that madison would run against his good friend, revolutionary war hero james monroe, in a housedistrict teeming with political enemies. overcoming great odds, madison won by a few hundred votes, allowing him to attend the first congress and sponsor the bill of rights. packed with colorful details about life in early america, this compelling and important narrative is the first serious book about madison written in many years. it will return this under-appreciated patriot to his rightful place among the founding fathers and shed new light on a key turning point in our nation's history.

In the book conjunction with justice learning and the annenberg foundation trust at sunnylands and with an introduction written by caroline kennedy and an afterword written by david eisenhower, this pocket guide appeals to the broadest possible audience. each article and each amendment is followed by a clear and concise explanation, in plain english, that is suitable for both middle and high school students.

The james madison and the making of the united states primary source reader builds literacy skills while offering engaging content across social studies subject areas. primary source documents provide an intimate glimpse into what life was like during the 1800s. this nonfiction reader can be purposefully differentiated for various reading levels and learning styles. it contains text features to increase academic vocabulary and comprehension, from captions and bold print to index and glossary. the your turn! activity will continue to challenge students as they extend their learning. this text aligns to state standards as well as mcrel, wida/tesol, and the ncss/c3 framework.

A word portrait of an american founder. america has had few political thinkers who have rivalled james madison. the son of a wealthy planter, madison was an unhealthy child and was beset by physical infirmities throughout his long life, and grew into a cerebral man. madison left virginia to attend the college of new jersey, but returned to his native state after completing his studies. though he aspired to be a college professor, madison instead went into public service and became one of the most influential, guiding voices of the founding era. madison’s virginia plan would be used as a blueprint for the constitutional convention, where the articles of confederation would be replaced with a new constitution that bore traces of madison’s influence throughout. editor john kaminski has gathered a remarkable collection of quotations by and about james madison for the third installment of his word portraits of america’s founders series.

The papers of james madison project, housed at the university of virginia, was established in 1956 to publish annotated volumes of the correspondence and writings of james madison, the virginia statesman most often remembered for his public service as "father of the constitution" and as fourth president of the united states. the published volumes provide accurate texts of madison's incoming and outgoing correspondence, informative notes on textual and subject matters, and comprehensive indexes. they are incomparably rich sources for students of madison's life and valuable research tools for those interested in the general history of the period in which madison lived (1751-1836). the project has collected more than 27,000 copies of documents related to madison's life, including letters, essays, notes, diaries, account books, ledgers, wills, legal papers, and inventories. the project serves the public by translating into print these decaying and often nearly illegible manuscripts, thereby preserving them for future generations and making them easier to use. the published volumes also make the contents of madison-related documents the originals of which are housed in some 250 archives worldwide easily accessible to libraries and interested individuals anywhere books travel. the secretary of state series documents madison's diplomatic and political career in the two administrations of thomas jefferson, 1801-9, during which he oversaw the negotiations for the louisiana purchase and the integration of those territories into the united states and attempted to maintain a viable neutrality for the united states vis-à-vis warring france and great britain. as secretary of state, madison presided over one of the busiest offices in washington. he was responsible for the patent office, issued all federal commissions, saw that the public laws were put into print, and served as the official liaison between the president and the governors of states and territories. most important for these volumes, madison was the addressee of diplomatic pouches and letters from five ministers and over fifty consuls worldwide, as well as about a dozen commissioners. — publisher.

The madison papers james madison appreciated the significance of the federal convention and took great care to compile an accurate report of its proceedings, which were held behind closed doors. his journal, which covers the period from may 14 to september 17, 1787, is often referred to as "the madison papers" or "madison's notes." it remains the most complete record of the proceedings. this volume is based on the edition of 1840. edited from madison's original manuscripts, which were purchased by the federal government from mrs. madison, it was published under the direction of president jackson. the volume also includes the text of another manuscript that traces the history of american constitutionalism from 1754 to 1787 and e.h. scott's complete "general and analytical" index. founding father, statesman and political theorist, james madison [1751-1836] was the primary author of the united states constitution. while a member of the first congress, he drafted the bill of rights and helped to organize the new federal government. along with alexander hamilton and john jay, he was one of the authors of the federalist papers. he established the democratic-republican party with thomas jefferson. elected in 1809, madison served two terms as president. he was, without question, one of the most inflfl uential national leaders in the early years of the united states.

A major new biography of the fourth president of the united states by new york times bestselling author lynne cheney lin-manuel miranda's play "hamilton" has reignited interest in the founding fathers; it features james madison among its vibrant cast of characters. this majestic new biography of james madison explores the astonishing story of a man of vaunted modesty who audaciously changed the world. among the founding fathers, madison was a true genius of the early republic. outwardly reserved, madison was the intellectual driving force behind the constitution and crucial to its ratification. his visionary political philosophy and rationale for the union of states—so eloquently presented in the federalist papers—helped shape the country americans live in today. along with thomas jefferson, madison would found the first political party in the country’s history—the democratic republicans. as jefferson’s secretary of state, he managed the louisiana purchase, doubling the size of the united states. as president, madison led the country in its first war under the constitution, the war of 1812. without precedent to guide him, he would demonstrate that a republic could defend its honor and independence—and remain a republic still.

In james madison and the making of america, historian kevin gutzman looks beyond the way james madison is traditionally seen — as "the father of the constitution" — to find a more complex and sometimes contradictory portrait of this influential founding father and the ways in which he influenced the spirit of today's united states. instead of an idealized portrait of madison, gutzman treats readers to the flesh-and-blood story of a man who often performed his founding deeds in spite of himself: madison's fame rests on his participation in the writing of the federalist papers and his role in drafting the bill of rights and constitution. today, his contribution to those documents is largely misunderstood. he thought that the bill of rights was unnecessary and insisted that it not be included in the constitution, a document he found entirely inadequate and predicted would soon fail. madison helped to create the first american political party, the first party to call itself "republican", but only after he had argued that political parties, in general, were harmful. madison served as secretary of state and then as president during the early years of the united states and the war of 1812; however, the american foreign policy he implemented in 1801-1817 ultimately resulted in the british burning down the capitol and the white house. in so many ways, the contradictions both in madison's thinking and in the way he governed foreshadowed the conflicted state of our union now. his greatest legacy—the disestablishment of virginia's state church and adoption of the libertarian virginia statute for religious freedom—is often omitted from discussion of his career. yet, understanding the way in which madison saw the relationship between the church and state is key to understanding the real man. kevin gutzman's james madison and the making of america promises to become the standard biography of our fourth president.

This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. this work is in the public domain in the united states of america, and possibly other nations. within the united states, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.as a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc.

"a roots for a new generation, rich in storytelling and steeped in history." –kirkus reviews, starred review "a compelling saga that gives a voice to those that history tried to erase… poignant and eye-opening, this is a must-read." –booklist in the other madisons, bettye kearse–a descendant of an enslaved cook and, according to oral tradition, president james madison–shares her family story and explores the issues of legacy, race, and the powerful consequences of telling the whole truth. for thousands of years, west african griots (men) and griottes (women) have recited the stories of their people. without this tradition bettye kearse would not have known that she is a descendant of president james madison and his slave, and half-sister, coreen. in 1990, bettye became the eighth-generation griotte for her family. their credo–"always remember–you're a madison. you come from african slaves and a president"–was intended to be a source of pride, but for her, it echoed with abuses of slavery, including rape and incest. confronting those abuses, bettye embarked on a journey of discovery–of her ancestors, the nation, and herself. she learned that wherever african slaves walked, recorded history silenced their voices and buried their footsteps: beside a slave-holding fortress in ghana; below a federal building in new york city; and under a brick walkway at james madison's virginia plantation. when bettye tried to confirm the information her ancestors had passed down, she encountered obstacles at every turn. part personal quest, part testimony, part historical correction, the other madisons is the saga of an extraordinary american family told by a griotte in search of the whole story.

The best one volume biography of madison's life, ketcham's biography not only traces madison's career, it gives readers a sense of the man. as madison said of his early years in virginia under the study of donald robertson, who introduced him to thinkers like montaigne and montesquieu, "all that i have been in life i owe largely to that man." it also captures a side of madison that is less rarely on display (including a portrait of the beautiful dolley madison).

The best one volume biography of madison's life, ketcham's biography not only traces madison's career, it gives readers a sense of the man. as madison said of his early years in virginia under the study of donald robertson, who introduced him to thinkers like montaigne and montesquieu, "all that i have been in life i owe largely to that man." it also captures a side of madison that is less rarely on display (including a portrait of the beautiful dolley madison).

A masterpiece of constitutional thought, the federalist papers were written by alexander hamilton, james madison, and john jay to create support for ratifying the u.s. constitution and to explain the intentions of its authors. originally titled the new constitution or the federalist, the federalist papers are an amazing direct source to the intentions of the founding fathers and what they were trying to accomplish with the constitution. still frequently referenced today by lawmakers and judges, this text was indeed intended to be a guide for future generations on interpreting the meaning of the constitution. this edition includes all 85 articles, most of which were originally published in the independent journal and the new york packet between 1787 and 1788. peer into the minds of the writers of the constitution and truly understand the meaning of this monumental document.

A masterpiece of constitutional thought, the federalist papers were written by alexander hamilton, james madison, and john jay to create support for ratifying the u.s. constitution and to explain the intentions of its authors. originally titled the new constitution or the federalist, the federalist papers are an amazing direct source to the intentions of the founding fathers and what they were trying to accomplish with the constitution. still frequently referenced today by lawmakers and judges, this text was indeed intended to be a guide for future generations on interpreting the meaning of the constitution. this edition includes all 85 articles, most of which were originally published in the independent journal and the new york packet between 1787 and 1788. peer into the minds of the writers of the constitution and truly understand the meaning of this monumental document.

As the "father of the constitution," james madison's accomplishments are inseparable from the nation he helped create. from his early days in the state legislature of colonial virginia to his two terms as president, madison worked tirelessly alongside – and sometimes in opposition to – his political contemporaries to secure the future of a fledging united states. rakove examines both the life and legacy of this founding father, showing how the ideological foundation he helped build still supports our nation today.

In the wake of national crises and sharp shifts in the electorate, new members of congress march off to washington full of intense idealism and the desire for instant change–but often lacking in any sense of proportion or patience. this drive for instant political gratification concerned one of the key founders, james madison, who accepted the inevitability of majority rule but worried that an inflamed majority might not rule reasonably. greg weiner challenges longstanding suppositions that madison harbored misgivings about majority rule, arguing instead that he viewed constitutional institutions as delaying mechanisms to postpone decisions until after public passions had cooled and reason took hold. in effect, madison believed that one of the constitution's primary functions is to act as a metronome, regulating the tempo of american politics. weiner calls this implicit doctrine "temporal republicanism" to emphasize both its compatibility with and its contrast to other interpretations of the founders' thought. like civic republicanism, the "temporal" variety embodies a set of values–public-spiritedness, respect for the rights of others-broader than the technical device of majority rule. exploring this fundamental idea of time-seasoned majority rule across the entire range of madison's long career, weiner shows that it did not substantially change over the course of his life. he presents madison's understanding of internal constitutional checks and his famous "extended republic" argument as different and complementary mechanisms for improving majority rule by slowing it down, not blocking it. yet there is no evidence that madison's underlying beliefs about either majority rule or the distorting and transient nature of passions ever swayed. if patience was a fact of life in madison's day–a time when communication and travel were slow–it surely is much harder to cultivate in the age of the internet, 24-hour news, and politics based on instant gratification. while many of today's politicians seem to wed supreme impatience with an avowed devotion to original constitutional principles, madison's metronome suggests that one of our nation's great luminaries would likely view that marriage with caution.

“a long, insightful look at three founder presidents. … political histories are rarely page-turners, but gutzman, clearly a scholar who has read everything on his subjects, writes lively prose and displays a refreshingly opinionated eye for a huge cast of characters and their often unfortunate actions. outstanding historical writing.” — kirkus (starred review) a lively and essential chronicle of the only consecutive trio of two-term presidencies of the same political party in american history, from the bestselling author of thomas jefferson – revolutionary and james madison.before the consecutive two-term administrations of presidents bill clinton, george w. bush, and barack obama, there had only been one other trio of its type: thomas jefferson, james madison, and james monroe.kevin r. c. gutzman’s the jeffersonians is a complete chronicle of the men, known as the virginia dynasty, who served as president from 1801 to 1825 and implemented the foreign policy, domestic, and constitutional agenda of the radical wing of the american revolution, setting guideposts for later american liberals to follow.the three close political allies were tightly related: jefferson and madison were the closest of friends, and monroe was jefferson’s former law student. their achievements were many, including the founding of the opposition republican party in the 1790s; the louisiana purchase; and the call upon congress in 1806 to use its constitutional power to ban slave imports beginning on january 1, 1808. of course, not everything the virginia dynasty undertook was a success: its chief failure might have been the ineptly planned and led war of 1812. in general, however, when monroe rode off into the sunset in 1825, his passing and the end of the virginia dynasty were much lamented. kevin r. c.

Title: james madison. product type: subjects biographies & memoirs leaders & notable people military american revolution