Report by: Amy
5th Grade
Bennion Elementary
Taylorsville, Utah

Mrs. Harris


Amy

Introduction
You are just about to hear the real life story of James Madison. It is emotional in some parts but not in all parts. James Madison was the father of the constitution. That means he wrote and kept the constitution. And he wrote the Bill of Rights.

Mrs. Madison was pregnant. She had her first born. She named him James Madison. James Madison was born in the year of 1751. His birth date is on March sixteenth. He was born in Port Corway, Virginia. James Madison was the oldest of ten children.
When James was nine, his family moved to Montpelier, Virginia.
James also liked to read. James had a lot of sicknesses. One day Madison had gotten a sickness. He got so sick that he had to go to the doctor. The doctor called the sickness epilepsy, but Madison called, it a falling sickness. James said that nothing could stop him from reading.
He went to school at the age of eleven. He learned French, Latin and Greek. He stayed in that same school until he was sixteen years old. He then returned to his father's plantation.
When he was eighteen, he went to the college of New Jersey. The place was called Nassau Hall. While he was there he worked really hard and only had two hours to himself. Most kids did really mean things, like putting grease and feathers by the door, but James Madison, completed college in two years because he didn't pull pranks.
While James was in college, England put taxes on the Colonies. The Colonies couldn't pay the taxes. Some of the things that England was charging taxes on were tea, and cloth that the colonists needed. England had broken their promise to the Colonies. They had promised to keep peace between the Colonies and them. So they went to war.
On New Years day in 1776, Durunore, the Governor of the England troops, sent troops to bum down the city. The Colonies didn't think they needed the country anymore, so they left. They went to where James and his family were living.
Where he lived the Government sent two people to go to the convention. A convention is something that you go to . Well its where a colony gets to be a state. Where people get to draft things, like the state constitution and the Virginia Bill of,Rights.
James Madison's job, before he became president was the Secretary of State. If you don't know what the Secretary of State is then I'll tell you. It is where you go around the country and make sure that people are in peace. You invite Governors from other country's to come eat with you. You work for the President of your country. And you entertain people that visit. James Madison, had to stop lots of fights and disagreements. One day Madison heard that England was at war with France. James and Thomas Jefferson, who was President,, wanted to keep Amenca out of this war.. Finally the Governor of France couldn't fight and hang on to land on America so he sold the Louisiana Territory for fifteen million dollars. Louisiana Territory now belongs to America.
James Madison's opponent for president was James Monroe. George Clinton was Madison's Vice President. Many people didn't think that Madison was a strong enough leader to be President. When he was elected everyone knew that he was going to face many difficulties, maybe even another war with England.
After Madison was sworn in as President he had a celebration. The house was so crowded and so hot that some people broke windows for fresh air.
The house of Representative was controlled by the Republicans so his house of Representatives didn't really like him. Especially the leader hated him. His name was John Randolph. John Randolph would work against what he said.
The American people had to promise that they wouldn't buy anything from England or France because too many people were afraid that they would charge high taxes.
Finally one day America decided to go into war with England and France. Madison couldn't decide on which country to fight with first. He chose England, I don't know why, but he just did. He asked England if they would go to war with them. England didn't make up their mind until four years later. Before he went to war, James had to command to bring the seamen back to America. See, what happened was the President sent ships to go to England. The British (Canadian) people caught them and kept them.
In April 1812 James called for an embargo. He said that he needed all of the seamen back before he declared war.,
He declared war. The war was going to be held on the Great Lakes. The bad news it, was the U.S. that had no war ships. 'The fighting lasted for two and half years. James Madison was reelected in 1812. That's when the war,began. The British came and invaded Washington D.C. They set fire to the White House. A treaty was finally made and the war ended in 1814.
Madison's years were over as being President. It was a hard time for James Madison because he was President for eight years. James went back to his plantation in Montpelier, Virginia. He enjoyed working his land.
James Monroe was the President after Madison. James Monroe would go to Madison for opinions on things. James Monroe died on the Fourth of July. Thomas Jefferson died on the Fourth of July also. Finally I would hate to say is that James Madison died in June 1836.

Closing
In closing I would just like to say that that is the real life story of James Madison.

Clinton. Encyclopedia of the Presidents, James Madison. Chicago: Children's Press, 1986

Leavell. Madison, Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1988

Fritz. The Great Little Madison. New York: Putnam's Sons, 1989