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The Federalist Papers · All 85 Essays

Unravel theConstitution.

What were the Founders really thinking? Read every word of Hamilton, Madison & Jay’s case for America. All 85 essays in one refined, fully searchable reader.

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Federalist No. 10

The Union as a Safeguard

James Madison · November 22, 1787

Among the numerous advantages promised by a well-constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction.

The friend of popular governments never finds himself so much alarmed for their character and fate…

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Alexander Hamilton
James Madison

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85Essays

Unravel the Constitution

Who Was Publius?

One pen name, three Founders

Between 1787 and 1788, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay published 85 essays under the shared pseudonym “Publius” to persuade New York to ratify the new Constitution. Together they’re still one of the most cited sources on the Founders’ original intent.

Alexander Hamilton

Wrote 51 of the 85 essays

Treasury secretary-to-be and the driving force behind the project. Hamilton recruited Madison and Jay to make the case for ratifying the new Constitution in the New York press.

James Madison

Wrote 29 of the 85 essays

The Constitution’s chief architect. His essays on faction and on checks and balances, No. 10 and No. 51, are still cited by courts today.

John Jay

Wrote 5 of the 85 essays

Future Chief Justice of the United States, Jay focused his essays on foreign affairs and the case for a strong, unified national government.

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