The Federalist Papers were written and published in New York newspapers in 1787-1788 in order to sway public opinion to approve and ratify the newly devised United States Constitution. The essays were written by three prominent members of the founding generation - Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

I consider these essays the user’s guide for the Constitution and, therefore, deserve at least a perfunctory understanding. Short of reading the debates from the constitutional convention and the state ratification debates, the Federalist Papers provide some of the best insights into the United States Constitution.

In this episode, we will cover 25-26 essays - those covering the topics of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, the arguments for a stronger centralized government and the system of checks and balances devised by the Constitution. In the next episode we will cover the Executive and Legislative branches followed by an episode that covers everything else - the judiciary, taxation, states’ rights and a few important miscellaneous musings.  

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