Museum of Minds

Founding Documents · 1787–1788

The Federalist Papers

85 essays by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay — writing as "Publius" — published in New York newspapers from October 1787 to August 1788 to argue for ratification of the Constitution.

Hamilton · 51 Papers Madison · 29 Papers Jay · 5 Papers ★ AP Gov Required: No. 10, 51, 70, 78 ★ SC Required: No. 4, 10, 37, 47, 51, 84

Trust Score 99/100 · All 85 Papers in Corpus · Primary Source  ·  ⚔ Debate the Anti-Federalists  ·  ⊞ Topic Clusters

85 papers
No. 1IntroductionHamiltonRatificationOctober 27, No. 2Dangers from Foreign ForceJayForeign PolicyOctober 31, No. 3Union and Foreign ForceJayForeign PolicyNovember 3, No. 4SCUnion and Foreign Force IIJayForeign PolicyNovember 7, No. 5Union and Foreign Force IIIJayForeign PolicyNovember 10, No. 6Dangers from Dissension Among StatesHamiltonFederalismNovember 14, No. 7State Rivalries and Commercial DisputesHamiltonFederalismNovember 15, No. 8Effects of Internal WarHamiltonStanding ArmiesNovember 20, No. 9The Union as a SafeguardHamiltonRepublican GovtNovember 21, No. 10APSCOn FactionsMadisonFactionsNovember 22, No. 11Union and Commercial PolicyHamiltonCommerceNovember 24, No. 12Union and RevenueHamiltonTaxationNovember 27, No. 13Economy in GovernmentHamiltonFederalismNovember 28, No. 14Objections to the Extended RepublicMadisonRepublican GovtNovember 30, No. 15Defects of the ConfederationHamiltonArticles of ConfederationDecember 1, No. 16Defects of the Confederation IIHamiltonFederalismDecember 4, No. 17Defects of the Confederation IIIHamiltonFederalismDecember 5, No. 18Ancient ConfederaciesMadison with HamiltonArticles of ConfederationDecember 7, No. 19Germanic ConfederationMadison with HamiltonArticles of ConfederationDecember 8, No. 20Dutch ConfederationMadison with HamiltonArticles of ConfederationDecember 11, No. 21Defects: Quotas and SanctionsHamiltonTaxationDecember 12, No. 22Defects: Equal SuffrageHamiltonArticles of ConfederationDecember 14, No. 23Necessity of National DefenseHamiltonStanding ArmiesDecember 18, No. 24Standing Armies ObjectionHamiltonStanding ArmiesDecember 19, No. 25Standing Armies IIHamiltonStanding ArmiesDecember 21, No. 26Standing Armies IIIHamiltonStanding ArmiesDecember 22, No. 27National Authority and State CitizensHamiltonFederalismDecember 25, No. 28Standing Armies and LibertyHamiltonStanding ArmiesDecember 26, No. 29Concerning the MilitiaHamiltonStanding ArmiesJanuary 9, No. 30General Power of TaxationHamiltonTaxationDecember 28, No. 31Taxation: MaximsHamiltonTaxationJanuary 1, No. 32Concurrent TaxationHamiltonTaxationJanuary 2, No. 33Necessary and Proper ClauseHamiltonFederalismJanuary 2, No. 34Taxation: Same SubjectHamiltonTaxationJanuary 5, No. 35Taxation and RepresentationHamiltonTaxationJanuary 5, No. 36Taxation: ObjectionsHamiltonTaxationJanuary 8, No. 37SCDifficulties of the ConventionMadisonRepublican GovtJanuary 11, No. 38Objections to the ConstitutionMadisonRatificationJanuary 12, No. 39Republican Character of the ConstitutionMadisonFederalismJanuary 16, No. 40Powers of the ConventionMadisonRatificationJanuary 18, No. 41Military PowersMadisonStanding ArmiesJanuary 19, No. 42Foreign Affairs PowersMadisonCommerceJanuary 22, No. 43Miscellaneous PowersMadisonFederalismJanuary 23, No. 44Restrictions on State AuthorityMadisonFederalismJanuary 25, No. 45Powers of the Federal GovernmentMadisonState PowerJanuary 26, No. 46State vs. National AuthorityMadisonState PowerJanuary 29, No. 47SCSeparation of PowersMadisonChecks & BalancesJanuary 30, No. 48Departmental BoundariesMadisonChecks & BalancesFebruary 1, No. 49Constitutional ConventionsMadisonChecks & BalancesFebruary 2, No. 50Periodic Appeals to the PeopleMadisonChecks & BalancesFebruary 5, No. 51APSCChecks and BalancesMadisonChecks & BalancesFebruary 6, No. 52House of RepresentativesMadisonLegislatureFebruary 8, No. 53Biennial ElectionsMadisonLegislatureFebruary 9, No. 54ApportionmentMadisonLegislatureFebruary 12, No. 55Total Number of RepresentativesMadisonLegislatureFebruary 13, No. 56Representatives and KnowledgeMadisonLegislatureFebruary 16, No. 57Elective PrincipleMadisonLegislatureFebruary 19, No. 58Objections to the HouseMadisonLegislatureFebruary 20, No. 59Congressional Control of ElectionsHamiltonLegislatureFebruary 22, No. 60Congressional Control of Elections IIHamiltonLegislatureFebruary 23, No. 61Congressional Control of Elections IIIHamiltonLegislatureFebruary 26, No. 62SenateMadisonLegislatureFebruary 27, No. 63Senate ContinuedMadisonLegislatureMarch 1, No. 64Senate and Treaty PowerJayForeign PolicyMarch 5, No. 65Senate and ImpeachmentHamiltonJudiciaryMarch 7, No. 66Impeachment ObjectionsHamiltonJudiciaryMarch 8, No. 67Executive DepartmentHamiltonExecutive PowerMarch 11, No. 68Electoral CollegeHamiltonExecutive PowerMarch 12, No. 69President vs. King and GovernorHamiltonExecutive PowerMarch 14, No. 70APEnergy in the ExecutiveHamiltonExecutive PowerMarch 15, No. 71Duration of ExecutiveHamiltonExecutive PowerMarch 18, No. 72Re-eligibility of ExecutiveHamiltonExecutive PowerMarch 19, No. 73Veto PowerHamiltonExecutive PowerMarch 21, No. 74Command and PardonsHamiltonExecutive PowerMarch 25, No. 75Treaty PowerHamiltonForeign PolicyMarch 26, No. 76AppointmentsHamiltonExecutive PowerApril 1, No. 77Appointments ContinuedHamiltonExecutive PowerApril 2, No. 78APThe JudiciaryHamiltonJudiciaryMay 28, No. 79Judicial Tenure and CompensationHamiltonJudiciaryMay 28, No. 80Extent of Judicial PowerHamiltonJudiciaryMay 28, No. 81Appellate JurisdictionHamiltonJudiciaryMay 28, No. 82State Courts and Federal JurisdictionHamiltonJudiciaryMay 28, No. 83Trial by JuryHamiltonJudiciaryMay 28, No. 84SCObjections — No Bill of RightsHamiltonBill of RightsMay 28, No. 85Concluding RemarksHamiltonRatificationMay 28,
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I am Publius — the collective voice of Hamilton, Madison, and Jay, writing in defense of the proposed Constitution. I can discuss any of the 85 papers, explain the arguments for ratification, or address the Anti-Federalist objections we answered.

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Start Here — Curated Reading Paths

AP Gov Exam

AP U.S. Government & Politics — Required Papers

  1. 1No. 10 — Madison on Factions AP
  2. 2No. 51 — Madison on Checks & Balances AP
  3. 3Brutus No. 1 — The Opposing View AP
  4. 4No. 70 — Hamilton on Executive Energy AP
  5. 5No. 78 — Hamilton on the Judiciary AP
SC Graduation Requirement

SC § 59-29-120 & USG.1.IN — Required Papers

  1. 1No. 4 — Jay on Foreign Policy & Union SC
  2. 2No. 10 — Madison on Factions SC
  3. 3No. 37 — Madison on the Convention's Difficulty SC
  4. 4No. 47 — Madison on Separation of Powers SC
  5. 5No. 51 — Madison on Checks & Balances SC
  6. 6No. 84 — Hamilton on the Bill of Rights SC
Chronological Reading

The Full Ratification Debate — October 1787 to August 1788

  1. 1No. 1 — Hamilton's Introduction (Oct 27, 1787)
  2. 2No. 2 — Jay on Union and Safety (Oct 31, 1787)
  3. ···Read all 85 in order — filter by "All" above →
  4. 85No. 85 — Hamilton's Conclusion (Aug 16, 1788)