The Federalist Papers

The Federalist Papers are among America's most famous political writings, and definitely some of the most important. Written in the wake of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, they were anonymously written and published by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, in hopes of convincing people in the different states to ratify the Constitution.

What makes the Federalist Papers so unique is that they were written by some of the most influential men at the Convention, particularly Hamilton and Madison. As a result, the Federalist Papers not only describe what they thought of certain parts of the Constitution but also general political ideals and beliefs in the proper way of governing under the Constitution. The writings remain so influential that they are still cited by Supreme Court Justices seeking to interpret the Constitution, almost 230 years after they were written.