Omar Bennett
The Federalist Papers is a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the collective pseudonym Publius. The collection was written to promote the ratification of the Constitution of the United States, specifically in New York. The Federalist Papers are often used today to interpret the intentions of those who drafted the Constitution. The authors of The Federalist Papers attempted to hide their identities at the time of publication, but astute observers correctly guessed who they were.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Essays | 85 |
| Authors | Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay |
| Pseudonyms | Publius, Philo-Publius, Brutus, Cato, Centinel, Federal Farmer, A Columbian Patriot |
| Publication Date | October 1787 - August 1788 |
| Publication Frequency | Serial |
| Publication Platforms | Newspapers, Pamphlets |
| Target Audience | New Yorkers, New York Delegates |
| Objective | Support and promote ratification of the US Constitution |
| Content | Explanation of particular provisions of the Constitution |
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What You'll Learn
The Federalist Papers
At the time of publication, the authors of The Federalist Papers attempted to hide their identities, as Hamilton and Madison had attended the convention. However, astute observers correctly guessed the identities of Hamilton, Madison, and Jay. The first 20 papers are broken down as 11 by Hamilton, five by Madison, and four by Jay. The rest of the series is dominated by three long segments by a single writer: Nos. 21–36 by Hamilton, Nos. 37–58 by Madison, and No. 65 through the end by Hamilton, published after Madison had left for Virginia.
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Alexander Hamilton's 51 essays
The Federalist Papers, commonly referred to as a collection of 85 articles and essays, were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the pseudonym "Publius". The collection was written to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution. Alexander Hamilton wrote 51 of these essays.
The Federalist Papers were written and published to urge New Yorkers to ratify the proposed United States Constitution, explaining in detail the particular provisions of the Constitution. The essays were published anonymously in various New York state newspapers of the time, including The New York Packet and The Independent Journal.
The first 20 papers are broken down as 11 by Hamilton, five by Madison, and four by Jay. The rest of the series is dominated by three long segments by a single writer: Nos. 21–36 by Hamilton, Nos. 37–58 by Madison, and No. 65 through the end by Hamilton.
Federalist No. 51, written by Madison, distills arguments for checks and balances in an essay often quoted for its justification of government as "the greatest of all reflections on human nature." In the essay, Madison writes:
> To what expedient then shall we finally resort for maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments, as laid down in the constitution? The only answer that can be given is, that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate, the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government, as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places.
Federalist No. 51, like Essay No. 50, was claimed by both Hamilton and Madison. However, internal evidence presented by Edward G. Bourne strongly indicates Madison's authorship, with sentences from the essay corresponding very closely, and sometimes exactly, to earlier writings by Madison.
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James Madison's 29 essays
James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, is often referred to as the "Father of the Constitution". Madison, along with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, wrote the Federalist Papers, a series of 85 essays published under the pseudonym "Publius". The essays were written and published between October 1787 and May 1788 to urge New Yorkers to ratify the proposed United States Constitution.
James Madison wrote 29 of the essays in the Federalist Papers. While the first 20 papers were written collaboratively, with Madison writing five of them, the rest of the series is dominated by long segments written by a single author. Madison wrote essays numbered 37 to 58 while Hamilton was in Albany.
The Federalist Papers were published primarily in two New York state newspapers: The New York Packet and The Independent Journal. The essays explain particular provisions of the Constitution in detail and are often used today to interpret the intentions of those who drafted the Constitution.
The Papers of James Madison project was established in 1956 to collect and publish the correspondence and other writings of James Madison. The project has collected nearly 29,000 copies of documents relating to Madison's life, including letters, essays, notes, diaries, account books, ledgers, wills, legal papers, and inventories.
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John Jay's 5 essays
John Jay, alongside Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, wrote a series of 85 essays known as The Federalist Papers. These essays were written under the pseudonym "Publius" and published in various New York state newspapers between October 1787 and May 1788. The goal of these essays was to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution, specifically in New York, and to persuade the people to support the new Constitution over the existing Articles of Confederation.
While it is known that Jay wrote 5 of the 85 essays, the exact authorship of each essay within The Federalist Papers has been debated over the years. Initially, the authors attempted to hide their identities, but astute observers correctly guessed who they were. A list emerged after Hamilton's death in 1804, claiming that he alone had written two-thirds of the essays. However, some believe that several of these essays were actually written by Madison, and the scholarly work of Douglass Adair in 1944 supported this claim.
John Jay's five essays within The Federalist Papers are believed to be the following: Federalist No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, and No. 64. These essays covered a range of topics related to the Constitution and contributed to the overall argument in support of its ratification.
In addition to his contributions to The Federalist Papers, John Jay also wrote a pamphlet in the spring of 1788 titled "An Address to the People of the State of New-York." This pamphlet distilled his arguments in favour of the Constitution and was cited approvingly by Hamilton in Federalist No. 85.
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Anti-Federalist Papers
The Anti-Federalist Papers are a collection of writings by the Founding Fathers who opposed or were concerned about the United States Constitution of 1787. Published in newspapers, these essays were written by a variety of authors under pseudonyms such as "Brutus" (likely Robert Yates), "Cato" (likely George Clinton), "Centinel" (Samuel Bryan), and "Federal Farmer" (possibly Richard Henry Lee). The Anti-Federalists argued against a stronger federal government without protections for certain rights.
The Anti-Federalist Papers began on September 25, 1787, eight days after the final draft of the US Constitution, and continued through the early 1790s. The authors, working individually rather than as a group, failed to prevent the Constitution's ratification, but they influenced the drafting of the Bill of Rights. The essays reflected Anti-Federalist sentiments, including a fear of a powerful central government, a belief in direct citizen participation in democracy, and a distrust of wealthy merchants and industrialists.
One of the most important Anti-Federalist writings is Brutus' series of sixteen essays, published in the New York Journal from October 1787 to April 1788. Addressed to the Citizens of the State of New York, these essays closely paralleled the Federalist "Publius" letters. In his first essay, Brutus argued that the proposed unification of the thirteen states into one republic would create a federal government with "absolute and uncontrollable power." He also pointed out the lack of limitations on the legislative power to lay taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, which would give the legislature unlimited authority in these areas.
Another significant Anti-Federalist writer was Cato, who may have been George Clinton. Cato's five essays were published in the New-York Journal, with the first appearing within days of the submission of the new Constitution to the states. Melancton Smith, often associated with the Federal Farmer articles, also contributed to the Anti-Federalist Papers through his speeches at the New York Ratifying Convention in June 1788.
The Anti-Federalist Papers provide valuable insights into the concerns and perspectives of those who opposed the ratification of the US Constitution. They represent a diverse range of objections and contribute to our understanding of the American Founding and the constitutional debate during that era.
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Frequently asked questions
The Federalist Papers.
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
85.
To promote the ratification of the US Constitution.
Yes, the Anti-Federalist Papers were written in opposition to the ratification of the US Constitution.
