The Federalist Papers

Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison

It was not a certain thing that the Constitution devised by the 56 men of the convention would be accepted. There were many who raised arguments against the new Constitution. To counter this, Hamilton, Madison and Jay wrote The Federalist Papers and had them published in New York. From there they went out to all the colonies. They explain not only how the new government would work, but why it was necessary and how the men who wrote it arrived at the form they did. They are an important part of our history which is sadly neglected today.

 

The Importance of the Union (1-14)

Federalist - 01:

General Introduction
Federalist - 02:

Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence
Federalist - 03:

Concerning Dangers From Foreign Force and Influence (con't)
Federalist - 04:

Concerning Dangers From Foreign Force and Influence (con't)
Federalist - 05:

Concerning Dangers From Foreign Force and Influence (con't)
Federalist - 06:

Concerning Dangers from Dissensions Between the States
Federalist - 07:

Concerning Dangers from Dissensions Between the States (con't)

Federalist - 08:

The Consequences of Hostilities Between the States

Federalist - 09:

The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection

Federalist - 10:

The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection (con't)

Federalist - 11:

The Utility of the Union in Respect to Commercial Relations and a Navy

Federalist - 12:

The Utility of the Union In Respect to Revenue

Federalist - 13:

Advantage of the Union in Respect to Economy in Government

Federalist - 14:

Objections to the Proposed Constitution From Extent of Territory Answered

 

Defects of the Articles of Confederation (15-22)

Federalist - 15:

The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union

Federalist - 16:

The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union (con't)

Federalist - 17:

The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union (con't)

Federalist - 18:

The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union (con't)

Federalist - 19:

The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union (con't)

Federalist - 20:

The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union (con't)

Federalist - 21:

Other Defects of the Present Confederation

Federalist - 22:

Other Defects of the Present Confederation (con't)

 

Arguments for the type of Government contained in the Constitution (23-36)

Federalist - 23:

The Necessity of a Government as Energetic as the One Proposed to the Preservation of the Union

Federalist - 24:

The Powers Necessary to the Common Defense Further Considered

Federalist - 25:

The Powers Necessary to the Common Defense Further Considered (con't)

Federalist - 26:

The Idea of Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense Considered

Federalist - 27:

The Idea of Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense Considered (con't)

Federalist - 28:

The Idea of Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense Considered (con't)

Federalist - 29:

Concerning the Militia

Federalist - 30:

Concerning the General Power of Taxation

Federalist - 31:

Concerning the General Power of Taxation (con't)

Federalist - 32:

Concerning the General Power of Taxation (con't)

Federalist - 33:

Concerning the General Power of Taxation (con't)

Federalist - 34:

Concerning the General Power of Taxation (con't)

Federalist - 35:

Concerning the General Power of Taxation (con't)

Federalist - 36:

Concerning the General Power of Taxation (con't)

 

The Republican form of Government (37-51)

Federalist - 37:

Concerning the Difficulties of the Convention in Devising a Proper Form of Government

Federalist - 38:

The Same Subject Continued, and the Incoherence of the Objections to the New Plan Exposed

Federalist - 39:

The Conformity of the Plan to Republican Principles

Federalist - 40:

The Powers of the Convention to Form a Mixed Government Examined and Sustained

Federalist - 41:

General View of the Powers Conferred by The Constitution

Federalist - 42:

The Powers Conferred by the Constitution Further Considered

Federalist - 43:

The Powers Conferred by the Constitution Further Considered (con't)

Federalist - 44:

Restrictions on the Authority of the Several States

Federalist - 45:

The Alleged Danger From the Powers of the Union to the State Governments Considered

Federalist - 46:

The Influence of the State and Federal Governments Compared

Federalist - 47:

The Particular Structure of the New Government and the Distribution of Power Among Its Different Parts

Federalist - 48:

These Departments Should Not Be So Far Separated as to Have No Constitutional Control Over Each Other

Federalist - 49:

Method of Guarding Against the Encroachments of Any One Department of Government by Appealing to the People Through a Convention

Federalist - 50:

Periodical Appeals to the People Considered

Federalist - 51:

The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments

 

The Legislative Branch (52-66)

Federalist - 52:

The House of Representatives

Federalist - 53:

The House of Representatives (con't)

Federalist - 54:

The Apportionment of Members Among the States

Federalist - 55:

The Total Number of the House of Representatives

Federalist - 56:

The Total Number of the House of Representatives (con't)

Federalist - 57:

The Alleged Tendency of the New Plan to Elevate the Few at the Expense of the Many Considered in Connection with Representation

Federalist - 58:

Objection That The Number of Members Will Not Be Augmented as the Progress of Population Demands Considered

Federalist - 59:

Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members

Federalist - 60:

Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members (con't)

Federalist - 61:

Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members (con't)

Federalist - 62:

The Senate

Federalist - 63:

The Senate (con't)

Federalist - 64:

The Powers of the Senate

Federalist - 65:

The Powers of the Senate (con't)

Federalist - 66:

Objections to the Power of the Senate To Set as a Court for Impeachments Further Considered

 

The Executive Branch (67-77)

Federalist - 67:

The Executive Department

Federalist - 68:

The Mode of Electing the President

Federalist - 69:

The Real Character of the Executive

Federalist - 70:

The Executive Department Further Considered

Federalist - 71:

The Duration in Office of the Executive

Federalist - 72:

The Same Subject Continued, and Re-Eligibility of the Executive Considered

Federalist - 73:

The Provision for the Support of the Executive, and the Veto Power

Federalist - 74:

The Command of the Military and Naval Forces, and the Pardoning Power of the Executive

Federalist - 75:

The Treaty-Making Power of the Executive

Federalist - 76:

The Appointing Power of the Executive

Federalist - 77:

The Appointing Power Continued and Other Powers of the Executive Considered

 

The Judicial Branch (78-83)

Federalist - 78:

The Judiciary Department

Federalist - 79:

The Judiciary (con't)

Federalist - 80:

The Powers of the Judiciary

Federalist - 81:

The Judiciary Continued, and the Distribution of the Judicial Authority

Federalist - 82:

The Judiciary Continued

Federalist - 83:

The Judiciary Continued in Relation to Trial by Jury

 

Conclusions and Miscellaneous Ideas (84-85)

Federalist - 84:

Certain General and Miscellaneous Objections to the Constitution Considered and Answered

Federalist - 85:

Concluding Remarks