Legal Definitions - Federalist Papers

Definition: The Federalist Papers were a collection of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the pseudonym Publius. These essays were written to explain and promote the adoption of the United States Constitution. Most of the essays were published in 1787 and 1788.

Example: One example of a Federalist Paper is Federalist No. 10, written by James Madison. In this essay, Madison argues that a large republic is better than a small one because it can better protect against the dangers of factions.

Explanation: This example illustrates how the Federalist Papers were written to explain and promote the adoption of the United States Constitution. Madison's essay is one of many that were written to address concerns and arguments against the Constitution, and to persuade people to support its adoption.