5 Things You Might Not Know About James Madison
One of the fathers of the US Constitution and the fourth American President
James Madison (ca. 1821) by Gilbert StuartOriginal Source: National Gallery of Art
James Madison was born on March 16, 1751 in Virginia and one of the most influential of all the Founding Fathers. He was a driving force behind the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and presented the first version of the Bill of Rights to Congress. Pretty impressive, but here are some more things you might not know about him...
1. He wrote Washington’s first presidential speech
Long before the term "ghostwriter" was coined, Madison served as Washington’s most trusted confidential adviser during the critical first months of the new presidency.
2. He appeared on U.S. currency
Though scarce today, his image was on a $5,000 bill. A pristine bill even sold for over $100,000 at a 2010 auction, highlighting its rarity.
3. He was not very tall
Madison was actually the smallest president at just 5 feet 4 inches tall, and weighed about a hundred pounds.
4. Was ice cream one of his favourite dishes?
Despite being difficult to make, the Madisons frequently served various flavors at official events during their tenure at the White House. Dolley Madison's favorite flavor was oyster. Yes, that's right, oyster ice cream.
5. Madison did not die on July 4th
James Madison died on June 28, 1836. Although doctors offered to prolong his life so he could die on July 4th like John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, Madison declined.
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