Words We Need to Remember

[L Verge]

While searching for something else, I ran across this quote from James Madison and thought it needed to be shared:

“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: And a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives,” President James Madison famously said in 1822.

[Angela]

Laurie, thank you so much for this! History provides us so many things to remember about what is the right or the wrong way to do something and as long as we preserve that knowledge, it gives us great power.
I frequent a board on which a lot of younger history enthusiasts are active. And while it is mostly about fun things (and often they ARE funny), hardly anybody ever stops to check if what is presented as a funny fact has a credible source.

[PaigeBooth]

Excellent quote, Laurie! I have had a particular interest in James Madison (a.k.a The Father of the Constitution) and his life and presidency for some time now. The quote you posted just happens to be one of my favorite quotes by Madison.

[L Verge]

I am not well-versed in the Federal era and the formation of our system of government, but I have often felt that James Madison was short-changed (pardon the pun related to his height!) in the teaching of American history. Maybe "over-shadowed" is a better term since he seems to take a back seat to the likes of Jefferson, Franklin, and other Founding Fathers.

[PaigeBooth]

(02-18-2015 07:55 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I am not well-versed in the Federal era and the formation of our system of government, but I have often felt that James Madison was short-changed (pardon the pun related to his height!) in the teaching of American history. Maybe "over-shadowed" is a better term since he seems to take a back seat to the likes of Jefferson, Franklin, and other Founding Fathers.

You are absolutely correct about Madison taking a back seat, Laurie.

Often times when I am researching, I find Madison sometimes takes second place in popularity to other Founding Fathers such as (like you mentioned) Jefferson and Franklin. It is a shame Madison does not always receive the credit he deserves, as he was a very intelligent man, completing a four year course of study in just two years after enrolling at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1769.

It was at Princeton where Madison studied Greek, Latin, philosophy, ect. Madison was good friends with Thomas Jefferson after the two first met around 1776, and together they eventually established the Democrat-Republican Party. Throughout Madison's life, he would write the first drafts of the Constitution, write nine of the ten amendments that make up the Bill of Rights, co-write the Federalist Papers, and become fourth president of the United States in 1808. Indeed, Madison does not receive the credit he deserves.

And by the way, LOL about his height! Madison was just was five feet four inches tall.

[L Verge]

Don't you wish you could bring back a good assortment of the Founding Fathers and have them critique their country's handling of the secession crisis and the Civil War? Do you ever wonder if hindsight would help them figure out a way to avoid such an outcome as they established our constitutional form of government?

I bet Tom Thorne and Wild Bill have some definite thoughts on this...

[HerbS]

Madison was a genius,but,I don't think he could have avoided the Civil War!Lincoln was the man for the "Times"! Do the times make the man or does the man[or woman] make the times? PLEASE-feel free to give me an opinion.[it is often better to have an opinion,than NO opinion at all]!