The Federalist Papers Summary and Analysis

The Federalist Papers are one of the most important documents in American history. The letters played a large role in ratifying the Constitution by teaching the public why the Constitution was needed and what exactly it contained.

The Constitution

In May 1787, The United States of America was establishing itself as a new country. It had been a little over a decade since the colonists had declared themselves free of Great Britain, and this decade had not been easy. Now that the Revolutionary War was over, the United States was working to develop their own government. Following the Declaration of Independence, the United States had initially adopted the Articles of Confederation as their rules of government. This document had given all power to the states and did little to establish a federal government. Quite frankly, it just did not work. States were acting completely independent, which just led to further confusion. It became quite clear that new rules and standards had to be written.

As delegates assembled in Philadelphia to write the Constitution, the debate of a strong central government was in the forefront. The group debated for four months on the role that government would play in the new country. Some feared that the new government would become too powerful and eventually become a monarch like Great Britain. These fears had to be addressed and compromises had to be made.

Once the delegates were satisfied with the balance established in the Constitution, they now had to present their work to the states to be ratified. This was not an easy step. Just as the delegates were hesitant to allow the federal government more power, the rest of the United States was as well.

While the delegates waited for the states to ratify the Constitution, three of the writers secretly worked to persuade the American public to accept the document. These men, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, developed what is now known as the Federalist Papers, one of the most important documents in the United States' history.

What exactly were the Federalist Papers? Why were they important? What difference did they make in American history? In this lesson, we will answer these questions.

The Federalist Papers

While it may seem strange to us now, ratifying the Constitution was really a hot issue in 1787. The state of New York was just one of the many states where the citizens were divided. Just as we see today, citizens shared their points of view, many of them going to the press. Newspapers and magazines were soon filled with articles against the Constitution. The main concern was that the rights of individuals would be lost as big government took over. The opponents of the Constitution felt that the States would lose too much power and eventually lead to a more tyrannical government. This was the whole reason the United States was formed, to avoid the government having too much power. It was beginning to look like the public opinion was winning.

But then, suddenly in October 1787, articles by a man named Publius started to appear in New York magazines. Unlike the other articles, Publius argued that the Constitution would preserve the Union. The Articles of Confederation had isolated the states too much, and the union was falling apart. By allowing the federal government more power, it would actually act in interest of the citizens.

Publius was actually Madison, Hamilton, and Jay. Over the next year, they took turns writing a total of eighty-five letters, which became known as the Federalist Papers. These letters really served two purposes: to explain the Constitution and to persuade the states to ratify it.

The first few letters focused on the need for a new Constitution. Like any good argument, the men wanted to be sure that the problem was first presented to the public. The problem was simple: the union was crumbling. Because the states were acting with their own interests, relationships between states and between other countries were falling apart. The Articles of Confederation were written with the hope that the states would simply work together, but this was not happening. Instead, they were competing against each other, which could eventually lead to the states becoming enemies with each other. Without a strong central government, there was a high risk for the very country for which they fought to cease to exist.

Once the problem had been presented, the writers then shifted to the reasons the Constitution was a good idea. They believed that a strong central government would lead to more prosperity, stronger defense and military, and better relationships with other countries. The letters also explained the reasons for the different branches of government, especially the role of Congress and how this new government would prevent many of the problems they faced with Great Britain. The writers stressed that Congress solved their early concerns of representation in government. In addition, Congress would be sure that people were taxed fairly and that the country followed a set budget.

Finally, Hamilton, Jay, and Madison wanted the public to learn exactly what the Constitution included. Many people feared the Constitution not just because it was new, but because they did not understand it. To help with that, the writers took each part of the Constitution and explained why it was important, particularly the different branches of government.

Under the Articles of Confederation, each state held its own power so there was no real system of checks and balances. However, with the Constitution, there was now a system that divided the power and made sure that no one person, or state, gained too much control. Not just that, but the new system of government would actually give the power to the people. They would vote for their officials and make sure that they were held accountable for their decisions and actions.

The Results

Hamilton, Jay, and Madison's goal for writing the letters to the press to gain support for the Constitution worked! The State of New York ratified the Constitution in 1788. It was not just in New York, but other states that also shifted towards support after the Federalist papers were published.

The writers behind Publius also played a large role in American history. Alexander Hamilton served in the Presidential Cabinet and became a popular voice for the country's economic platform. John Jay served as the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. And John Madison would later become President of the United States.

The eighty-five letters written were later compiled and published as the Federalist Letters. The letters became representative of the goals of America. They serve as the main argument for the Constitution but also as a voice for the viewpoints of the founding fathers. They show the importance of human rights, a republican government, and the purpose of a federal government.