What was James Madison's favorite things to do?

Answer 1

He enjoyed reading, riding, and playing chess during his freetime. He also enjoyed writing, especially political writing. Find out more fast facts about James Madison at http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312172/madison.html Writing was his main pastime, especially political writing, although he did have time to play chess. He also dabbled in farming and new techniques. According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Madison "James Madison, Jr. (March 16, 1751 - June 28, 1836) was an American politician and the fourth President of the United States (1809-1817), and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Madison was the last founding father to die. Considered to be the "Father of the Constitution", he was the principal author of the document. In 1788, he wrote over a third of the Federalist Papers, still the most influential commentary on the Constitution." He was raised in the Church of England on a tobacco plantation owned by his parents with slave labor and the labor of indentured servants. He was short in stature and a light weight even when you consider that people of the past were on average shorter and lighter than they are today. "Madison attended the College of New Jersey, (later to become Princeton University) with roommate poet/satirist Phillip Freneau, finishing its four-year course in two years, 1769-1771; and continued to study with John Witherspoon, the College's president at that time, for a year after graduating. Madison has been called America's first graduate student, perhaps more accurately "Princeton's first graduate student." Meaning that he didn't take much time for hobbies or other pursuits; I doubt he indulged in his roommate's passion for poetry. "As delegate to the Continental Congress (1780-83), Madison was considered a legislative workhorse and a master of parliamentary detail." Again showing that politics was his main passion; he is the primary person responsible for our three branches of government and enjoyed seeing the Supreme Court grow to fill its current role (it is granted few powers in the constitution). After leaving office (he served 2 terms) he wanted to travel to see Paris but was too poor. "He took to modifying letters and other documents in his possessions: changing days and dates, adding and deleting words and sentences, and shifting characters. By the time he had reached his late seventies, this "straightening out" had become almost an obsession. This can be seen by his editing of a letter he had written to Jefferson criticizing Lafayette: Madison not only inked out original passages, but went so far as to imitate Jefferson's handwriting as well." Again showing that his principle concern was in political writing and making sure he got things right for the history books. According to Ask the Brain.com: http://www.askthebrain.com/jame_madison-.html His favorite books were: ""American Spelling Book" by Noah Webster "The McGuffey Readers" by William Holmes McGuffey." According to Thinkquest.org: http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312172/madison.html He had pets; "Macaw the Parrot; Sheep." His hobbies were: "Chess, Riding, Reading" According to the researcher at this site: http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/summer97/madison.html There are bookworms and then there are bookworms, and it isn't every student who can plow through the strengths and weaknesses of the Amphyctionic Confederacy of early 16th century Greece, the Helvitic Confederacy of 14th century Switzerland or the Belgic and Germanic confederacies of the mid-1600s. Madison did, and in his "Notes..." he made lists of all the features of those governments, good and bad, but in particular the bad, such as "disparity of size in Cantons," "intolerance of religion" and "weakness of the Union," to name a few." Which again seems to say that his chief interest was politics and reading about politics, he was a political scholar and Princeton's first graduate student to boot. He was also the first President to have served as a Congressman before he was elected to office. According to the Internet Public Library: http://www.ipl.org/div/potus/jmadison.html He held these offices: "Member of Virginia Constitutional Convention, 1776 Member of Continental Congress, 1780-83 Member of Virginia Legislature, 1784-86 Member of Constitutional Convention, 1787 Member of U.S. House of Representatives, 1789-97 Secretary of State, 1801-09 (under Jefferson)" In addition to serving two terms as President. According to the New Book of Knowledge: http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=a2017870-h "James was taught to read and write by his mother and grandmother. Soon after his 11th birthday he was sent to boarding school, where he studied English, mathematics, French, Spanish, and Latin. After two years of additional tutoring, the 18-year-old Madison entered the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), where he completed the four-year course in two years, sleeping only five hours a night and considerably damaging his health. For five years after his graduation in 1771, he continued his extensive studies at home, which included training in the law. At the same time, he was teaching his younger brothers and sisters... After leaving the presidency in 1817, Madison returned to Montpelier, where he engaged in scientific farming, originating methods of agriculture that did not become common until a century later. " If that doesn't make him a political animal and gentleman farmer then I don't know what would.

Answer 2

He read a lot, wrote a lot (mostly political writings), playing Chess, and farming techniques

Answer 3

Madison relaxed by walking and riding horses. He liked to observe nature. He also liked to read, particularly the old Greek and Latin classics. He also played chess.

Answer 4

reading, riding, and playing chess.

Answer 5

reading wrighting and studing

Answer 6

He liked to play with his son