The Federalist Papers
Appearing in New York newspapers as the New York Ratification Convention met in Poughkeepsie, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison wrote as Publius and addressed the citizens of New York through the Federalist Papers. These essays subsequently circulated and were reprinted throughout the states as the Ratification process unfolded in other states. Initially appearing as individual items in several New York newspapers, all eighty-five essays were eventually combined and published as The Federalist. Click here to view a chronology of the Printing and Reprintings of The Federalist.
Considerable debate has surrounded these essays since their publication. Many suggest they represent the best exposition of the Constitution to date. Their conceptual design would affirm this view. Others contend that they were mere propaganda to allay fears of the opposition to the Constitution. Regardless, they are often included in the canon of the world's great political writings. A complete introduction exploring the purpose, authorship, circulation, and reactions to The Federalist can be found here.
No. 1 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 27 October 1787
General Introduction
No. 2 (Jay) New York Independent Journal, 31 October 1787
Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence
No. 3 (Jay) New York Independent Journal, 3 November 1787
Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence
No. 4 (Jay) New York Independent Journal, 7 November 1787
Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence
No. 5 (Jay) New York Independent Journal, 10 November 1787
Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence
No. 6 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 14 November 1787
Concerning Dangers from Dissensions Between the States
No. 7 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 17 November 1787
Concerning Dangers from Dissensions Between the States
No. 8 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 20 November 1787
Concerning Dangers from Dissensions Between the States
No. 9 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 21 November 1787
Concerning Dangers from Dissensions Between the States
No. 10 (Madison) New York Daily Advertiser, 22 November 1787
The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection
No. 11 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 24 November 1787
The Utility of the Union in Respect to Commercial Relations and a Navy
No. 12 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 27 November 1787
The Utility of the Union In Respect to Revenue
No. 13 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 28 November 1787
Advantage of the Union in Respect to Economy in Government
No. 14 (Madison) New York Packet, 30 November 1787
Objections to the Proposed Constitution From Extent of Territory Answered
No. 15 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 1 December 1787
The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union
No. 16 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 4 December 1787
The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union
No. 17 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 5 December 1787
The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union
No. 18 (Madison with Hamilton) New York Packet, 7 December 1787
The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union
No. 19 (Madison with Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 8 December 1787
The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union
No. 20 (Madison with Hamilton) New York Packet, 11 December 1787
The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union
No. 21 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 12 December 1787
The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union
No. 22 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 14 December 1787
The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union
No. 23 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 18 December 1787
The Necessity of Energetic Government to Preserve of the Union
No. 24 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 19 December 1787
Powers Necessary to the Common Defense Further Considered
No. 25 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 21 December 1787
Powers Necessary to the Common Defense Further Considered
No. 26 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 22 December 1787
Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense
No. 27 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 25 December 1787
Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense
No. 28 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 26 December 1787
Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense
No. 29 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 9 January 1788
Concerning the Militia
No. 30 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 28 December 1787
Concerning the General Power of Taxation
No. 31 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 1 January 1788
Concerning the General Power of Taxation
Nos. 32–33 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 2 January 1788
Concerning the General Power of Taxation
No. 34 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 4 January 1788
Concerning the General Power of Taxation
No. 35 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 5 January 1788
Concerning the General Power of Taxation
No. 36 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 8 January 1788
Concerning the General Power of Taxation
No. 37 (Madison) New York Daily Advertiser, 11 January 1788
The Difficulties of the Convention in Devising a Proper Form of Government
No. 38 (Madison) New York Independent Journal, 12 January 1788
The Difficulties of the Convention in Devising a Proper Form of Government
No. 39 (Madison) New York Independent Journal, 16 January 1788
The Conformity of the Plan to Republican Principles
No. 40 (Madison) New York Packet, 18 January 1788
The Powers of the Convention to Form a Mixed Government Examined
No. 41 (Madison) New York Independent Journal, 19 January 1788
General View of the Powers Conferred by the Constitution
No. 42 (Madison) New York Packet, 22 January 1788
General View of the Powers Conferred by the Constitution
No. 43 (Madison) New York Independent Journal, 23 January 1788
General View of the Powers Conferred by the Constitution
No. 44 (Madison) New York Packet, 25 January 1788
Restrictions on the Authority of the Several States
No. 45 (Madison) New York Independent Journal, 26 January 1788
Alleged Danger From the Powers of the Union to the State Governments
No. 46 (Madison) New York Packet, 29 January 1788
Influence of the State and Federal Governments Compared
No. 47 (Madison) New York Independent Journal, 30 January 1788
Structure of the New Government and the Distribution of Powers
No. 48 (Madison) New York Packet, 1 February 1788
Departments Should Not Be So Far Separated
No. 49 (Madison) New York Independent Journal, 2 February 1788
Guarding Against the Encroachments of Any One Department of Government
No. 50 (Madison) New York Packet, 5 February 1788
Periodic Appeals to the People Considered
No. 51 (Madison) New York Independent Journal, 6 February 1788
Structure of Government Must Furnish Proper Checks and Balances
No. 52 (Madison?) New York Packet, 8 February 1788
The House of Representatives
No. 53 (Madison or Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 9 February 1788
The House of Representatives
No. 54 (Madison) New York Packet, 12 February 1788
The Apportionment of Members Among the States
No. 55 (Madison?) New York Independent Journal, 13 February 1788
The Total Number of the House of Representatives
No. 56 (Madison?) New York Independent Journal, 16 February 1788
The Total Number of the House of Representatives
No. 57 (Madison?) New York Packet, 19 February 1788
The Alleged Tendency of the Plan to Elevate the Few at the Expense of the Many
No. 58 (Madison?) New York Independent Journal, 20 February 1788
Objection That The Numbers Will Not Be Augmented as Population Increases
No. 59 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 22 February 1788
Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members
No. 60 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 23 February 1788
Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members
No. 61 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 26 February 1788
Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members
No. 62 (Madison?) New York Independent Journal, 27 February 1788
The Senate
No. 63 (Madison?) New York Independent Journal, 1 March 1788
The Senate
No. 64 (Jay) New York Independent Journal, 5 March 1788
The Powers of the Senate
No. 65 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 7 March 1788
The Senate
No. 66 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 8 March 1788
Objections to the Power of the Senate To Set as a Court for Impeachments
No. 67 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 11 March 1788
The Executive Department
No. 68 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 12 March 1788
The Mode of Electing the President
No. 69 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 14 March 1788
The Real Character of the Executive
No. 70 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 15 March 1788
The Executive Department Further Considered
No. 71 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 18 March 1788
The Duration in Office of the Executive
No. 72 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 19 March 1788
Re-Eligibility of the Executive Considered
No. 73 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 21 March 1788
Provision For The Support of the Executive, and the Veto Power
No. 74 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 25 March 1788
The Command of the Military and Naval Forces, and the Pardoning Power
No. 75 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 26 March 1788
The Treaty Making Power of the Executive
No. 76 (Hamilton) New York Packet, 1 April 1788
The Appointing Power of the Executive
No. 77 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal, 2 April 1788
Appointing Power and Other Powers of the Executive Considered
No. 78 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788
The Judiciary Department
No. 79 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788
The Judiciary Department
No. 80 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788
The Powers of the Judiciary
No. 81 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788
The Judiciary Continued, and the Distribution of the Judicial Authority
No. 82 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788
The Judiciary Continued
No. 83 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788
The Judiciary Continued in Relation to Trial by Jury
No. 84 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788
Miscellaneous Objections to the Constitution Considered
No. 85 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788
Concluding Remarks