Why does the United States celebrate Independence Day on July 4? That was the day that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. But do you know what important historical documents began publication nearly 240 years ago, on October 27, 1787? It was a group of essays known as the Federalist Papers. But what were they, and what impact do they still have today?
What Were the Federalist Papers?
The Federalist Papers were a group of 85 essays published from October 1787 to May 1788. They were published anonymously, but we know that they were written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. The essays were an effort to convince the people of New York to vote to ratify (formally approve) the new United States Constitution. The new Constitution described a different structure of national government that was intended to replace the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation were too weak to effectively govern the new nation. But in order for this new constitutional government to take effect, nine out of twelve states had to ratify it.
Three states–Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia–were most opposed to the new Constitution. The leaders in these states feared it would make the federal government too strong and powerful. They worried that a new, stronger government would remove the liberties that they had fought so hard to gain during the Revolutionary War period.
The Federalist Papers were written to persuade these worriers that the Constitution would be an effective governing document. The essays were originally published in New York newspapers before they were later published together in book format.
What Were the Key Points of the Federalist Papers?
Jay, Hamilton, and Madison argued that a strong central government was necessary to maintain stability and keep order. They argued that it was possible to have a strong central government without endangering the rights and individual freedoms of the people. They also argued that without a strong central government, the United States would never become a world power.
In many ways, the Federalist Papers emphasized the importance of the survival of the new nation over the will of individuals. The authors believed that the greatest threat to the new nation was not a central government with too much power, but a central government with not enough power to prevent people from acting in their own narrow best interests.
Federalist No. 10 is often considered to be the most important of all the essays. In Federalist No. 10, James Madison argued against the popular idea that a true democracy was only possible for a small state. Instead, he wrote that a democratic republican government was the best way to govern a large, diverse area like the United States, because it was the only way to balance the various–sometimes competing–interests of the people.
Were The Essays Effective?
Yes . . . and no. A group of about fifty opponents of the new Constitution drafted their own group of anonymous essays that historians refer to as the Anti-Federalist Papers. Though the goal of the Federalist Papers was to convince the delegates from New York to approve the new Constitution, two-thirds of them opposed it until the Framers agreed to add a Bill of Rights.
Why Are They Important?
Because the goal of the Federalist Papers was to explain and gain support for the new Constitution, they break down the various parts of this new government in detail. The Federalist Papers are still used by lawyers and judges and scholars today to help better understand the original intentions of the Founders as they drafted the Constitution. Therefore, the Federalist Papers are still considered to be one of the most important political documents in U.S. history.
What Do You Think? Are you a Federalist or an Anti-Federalist? Take the following quiz to find out. Then, write a short paragraph to discuss your results.