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Unit 1: Civics and Citizenship, Lesson 2: Rights and LimitsAUTHOR BACKGROUND: James Madison (1751- 1836)“A well-instructed people alone can be permanently free people.” - James MadisonJames Madison is often called the “Father of the Constitution.” He was the fourthPresident of the United States of America, and presided over a period known asthe Era of Good Feelings.He graduated from Princeton University, then called the College of New Jersey,and studied government and law. His experience in the Virginia legislatureand the Continental Congress paved the way for his influential role during theConstitutional Convention.Though credited as the head author of the Constitution, he felt it “ought to beregarded as the work of many heads and many hands.” His thorough notes onthe Constitutional Convention have been a boon to historians. Alongside John Jayand Alexander Hamilton, Madison authored the Federalists Papers, which helpedpersuade the public to adopt the Constitution.During his presidency, Madison dealt with a divided Congress during the Warof 1812. Ultimately, the British marched on Washington and set fire to the WhiteHouse. In 1815, the war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. Ultimately,neither side gained any territory as a result of status quo ante bellum, or thereversion to previously established borders. In his retirement, Madison workedalongside Thomas Jefferson in founding the University of Virginia.“He studied what was wrong with republics, old ones and new ones, how they failed andwhy they were failing. He studied what was wrong, and why republics failed, so that hecould build a republic that would last, and he pretty much did’ – William Lee MillerBACKGROUND: The Bill of Rights (1789)The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. It served as a guarantee that the UnitedStates government would not violate the rights of the American people. Influenced by the English Bill of Rights and theVirginia Declaration of Rights, it was a critical compromise to ensure the ratification of the Constitution by the States.Deriving from States’ grievances against the rule of a monarch, James Madison accumulated twenty amendments fromthe states under the Articles of Confederation and constructed the Bill of Rights. While Madison is mainly creditedwith authorship of the Constitution and the original amendments, it was George Mason whose voice of dissent pushedMadison to include this declaration of rights.Sources and Recommended Readings“James Madison.” The White House. Web. 28 June 2010..Teacher Reference“The Thought of James Madison.” Economist Author | Economics Books | Journals | Monographs| Classical Liberal Ideology. Web. 28 June 2010. .Bruns, Roger A. “A More Perfect Union: The Creation of the U.S. Constitution.” Constitution ofthe United States - A History. National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 12 Jan. 2011..Miller, W. L. (1992). The Business of May Next: James Madison & the Founding. Charlottesvilleand London: University Press of Virginia.James MadisonNAME: ________________________ PER:__________________ DATE:__________________Unit 1: Civics and Citizenship, Lesson 2: Rights and LimitsPRE-READINGDirections: Before you read, scan over the text and find the following information.Title and Text:What do you think the title means? What key words or phrases seem important? Why?Author:What do you know about the author?DURING READINGDirections: As you read, find quotation from each section of the Declaration to help answer the question below.In the “Say” section, write down the quotation. In the “Mean” section, write your interpretation of the quotation.PreambleStatement of BeliefsSayComplaints against the KingColonial attempts to address problemsDeclarationDeclaration of IndependenceWhat are the rights of a citizen?MeanStudent Handout 2A38 39