Template:Federalist Papers

The Federalist Papers

• a series of 85 essays published in New York newspapers and distributed nationally in 1787-1788
• the essays explained and defended the proposed federal constitution of 1787
  • which can be generally defined as creation of a new, centralized government under "republican" principles
    • those being representation, separation of powers, and limits on the power of the majority
• the essays were signed "Publius"
  • Publius Valerius was one of founders of the Roman Republic who overthrew the Etruscan kings
• the authors were:
  • Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison

click EXPAND for more on the authors

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• Alexander Hamilton
  • • important federalist thinker and politician
    • was Washington's first Secretary of the Treasury
    • Hamilton applied federalist principles towards application of the central government's powers
• John Jay
  • an important Revolutionary era patriot, diplomat and political leader
  • Jay became the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
• James Madison
  • provided the philosophical basis for the new Constitution
  • became fourth president
  • known as the "father of the Constitution" because:
    • Madison set the agenda for the Constitutional Convention
      • he created a "blueprint" (outline) for the new constitution
    • and framed his ideas through history and philosophy

Purpose of the Federalist Papers

• to explain and defend the proposed Constitution
• and to counter arguments made against it by the anti-federalists
• to influence the states to adopt the new constitution

Ideas behind the Papers

• to identify the need for a strong central government
• to identify the protections for the states and the people from that central government
  • principally through separation of powers, checks & balances, and accountability to the people

Legacy of the Papers:

• • stand as evidence of the ideas and intentions behind the design of the Constitution
  • have been used in Courts in order to help define the legal meanings of the Constitution
  • remind Americans of the philosophy of government behind the Constitution