Glossary

Federalist Papers

The Federalist Papers were a series of 85 articles published under the pseudonym Publius in New York newspapers over the fall and winter of 1787. Authored by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay, the essays discussed in detail the content and intent of the proposed United States Constitution. Written to encourage New York to ratify the Constitution, the essays were published in book form in 1788. They remain among the most famous and lucid exposition of the Constitution and the political theory that imbues it.