The Federalist Papers are a series of 85 essays arguing in support of the United States Constitution. They were published anonymously in New York City by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay between October 1787 and May 1788. The essays were intended to persuade New York voters to ratify the Constitution, which had been approved by the Constitutional Convention in September 1787.
Hamilton wrote 51 of the papers, Madison wrote 29, and Jay contributed 5. Hamilton wrote a majority of them under the name “Publius” and each paper was signed “Publius,” but many people believed that Jay was the true author because he was more experienced at political writing than the other two men.
The Federalist Papers are considered one of the most important sources for understanding the Founding Fathers’ views on government. The essays are still widely read today because they provide insight into the thinking behind America’s system of government and how it was designed to work.
Hamilton, Madison and Jay wrote the essays under the pseudonym “Publius” to emphasize the importance of public opinion in a republic. They also wanted people to take them seriously as political discussion, rather than just propaganda for ratification.
Madison, Jay, and Hamilton wrote the 85 essays over a span of six months in 1787 and 1788 during an intense debate about whether or not to ratify the new Constitution. They wrote under pseudonyms because they wanted their ideas to be judged based on their merits rather than who they were as individuals; they also wanted to ensure that readers would take them seriously as political philosophers rather than as politicians trying to sell a particular policy position.
