🇺🇸 James A. Garfield Biography for Students

🧭 Introduction

James A. Garfield was the 20th President of the United States, serving in 1881. He is remembered for his humble beginnings, strong support for civil rights and government reform, and for being assassinated only months after taking office. Though his time as president was brief, Garfield’s ideas and courage made a lasting impression on the country and helped lead to changes in how government jobs were given.

👶 Early Life and Education

James Abram Garfield was born on November 19, 1831, in a log cabin in Orange Township, Ohio. He grew up very poor. His father died when James was just a toddler, and his mother worked hard to support the family.

Garfield loved learning and worked various jobs to support himself, including being a canal boat driver. He later attended Williams College in Massachusetts and became a teacher, preacher, and college president before entering politics.

His rise from poverty to the presidency made him one of the most inspiring self-made men in American history.

🏛 Political and Military Career Before Presidency

Garfield served in the Union Army during the Civil War, where he reached the rank of major general. He was known for his intelligence and bravery.

After the war, Garfield was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and served for nearly 20 years. He became respected for:

• His speeches
• His honesty
• His interest in civil rights and education

In 1880, Garfield was unexpectedly nominated for president at the Republican National Convention—even though he had come to support someone else! He won the election and became president in March 1881.

🇺🇸 Presidency Overview

Garfield’s presidency lasted only 200 days—from March 4, 1881, to September 19, 1881—but he had big goals:

• Reform the civil service system, so that government jobs would be given by merit, not politics
• Improve education and civil rights for African Americans
• Reduce corruption in government

Garfield tried to reduce the power of people who gave out jobs in return for favors, a practice known as the spoils system. His fight for reform made him both respected and targeted.

🚨 Assassination and Tragic Death

On July 2, 1881, just four months after taking office, Garfield was shot at a Washington, D.C. train station by Charles J. Guiteau, a man who was angry he didn’t receive a government job.

Garfield did not die right away. Doctors tried to help him, but medical tools were not clean, and he developed infections. He suffered for over two months before dying on September 19, 1881.

His death shocked the nation and led to big changes in how government jobs were given.

⚖️ Civil Service Reform

Though Garfield didn’t live to see it, his assassination helped lead to the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883, passed under President Chester A. Arthur. This law:

• Required people to take tests for many government jobs
• Reduced political favoritism
• Helped make government fairer and more professional

Garfield’s fight for reform became a turning point in American politics.

🌍 Foreign Policy and Other Issues

Because Garfield served for such a short time, he didn’t have the chance to take many actions in foreign policy. However, he supported:

• Expanding American trade
• Improving relations in Latin America
• Promoting international peace

His main focus was domestic reform and unity within the U.S.

🧾 Legacy and Historical Impact

James A. Garfield’s presidency was short, but his impact was long-lasting. He is remembered for:

• Supporting civil rights and equal opportunity
• Leading by example as an honest and educated leader
• Inspiring major reform in civil service after his death

Historians often describe Garfield as one of the “what if” presidents—leaders whose full potential was never realized because of tragedy.

👨‍👩‍👧 Personal Life and Family

Garfield married Lucretia “Crete” Rudolph in 1858. They had seven children, five of whom lived to adulthood. Garfield loved books and learning. He could write in Latin and Greek at the same time—one with each hand!

He was also the last U.S. president born in a log cabin, showing his rise from humble beginnings.

💬 Famous Quotes

“Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained.”
—Garfield believed that knowledge and freedom go hand in hand.

“The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.”
—A reminder that honesty can be difficult but is always necessary.

💡 Interesting Facts About James A. Garfield

• He was the only sitting member of the House of Representatives elected president.
• He could write with both hands at once, in different languages!
• His assassin claimed God told him to do it.
• Garfield was a math genius and proved a special proof of the Pythagorean Theorem.
• His death helped push through major civil service reforms.

📚 Vocabulary Words

👧 Kid-Friendly Summary

James A. Garfield was the 20th president of the United States. He grew up poor, worked hard, and loved learning. As president, he wanted to fix the government by making jobs fair and honest. But before he could finish his work, he was shot by a man who was angry about not getting a job. Garfield lived for two months but died from infections. His death helped change how government jobs were given, and people remember him as a smart and honest leader who wanted to make things better.

✅ Interactive Quiz

Q1: What number president was James A. Garfield?
A. 18th
B. 19th
C. 20th 
D. 21st

Q2: How long did Garfield serve as president?
A. 4 years
B. 2 years
C. About 6 months 
D. 8 years

Q3: What major reform did Garfield support?
A. Tax reform
B. Civil service reform 
C. Health care
D. Trade expansion

Q4: Who shot President Garfield?
A. John Wilkes Booth
B. Charles Guiteau 
C. Lee Harvey Oswald
D. Aaron Burr

Q5: What law was passed after Garfield’s death?
A. Emancipation Proclamation
B. Civil Rights Act
C. Pendleton Civil Service Act 
D. Kansas-Nebraska Act

Scoring:

    5/5 = ⭐ Garfield Greatness

    3–4 = 👍 Good Work

    1–2 = 📘 Keep Studying