Approved by the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787, the US Constitution was to become law only if ratified by nine of the thirteen states then comprising the United States. The eighty-five letters in support of the Constitution collected here have become recognized as the most important political science work ever written in the United States. Written primarily by Hamilton, assisted by Madison and Jay, these essays are considered to be the foremost commentary on the US Constitution. Today lawyers, historians, and Supreme Court Judges, along with countless others, carefully comb these letters looking for key insights ranging from their analysis of the power of congress to their arguments on behalf of judicial review. From what we can determine, ours is the only unabridged recording to date.
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"I know that this isn't exactly beach reading, but they're so well written and provide such an amazing window on the development of the US political system. If you haven't read this since you were "forced" to in American Government class, pick them up sometime. You might just be surprised."
— Bonnie (4 out of 5 stars)
“The Federalist Papers stand as key documents in the founding of the United States.”
— Amazon.com editorial review“In 1787 and 1788, these articles argued, with great clarity and prescience, for the ratification of the Constitution and for a strong federal government.”
— Audiofile" Really long, 85 letters to the editor of the New york paper. Very good discussion and good information about what the founders were thinking at the time when the constitution was being voted upon. They sure knew a lot of history and used so much in the arguments. Very persuasive. "
— Seth, 1/25/2014" If you ever wonder if our founding fathers knew what they were doing the book answers that question. Sheer brilliance. You will end up knowing far more about our constitution then they ever taught in school. "
— Rob, 1/24/2014" Essential documents in understanding America. If you're an American, read them. Heck, if you're not an American, read them, though you may lack context. "
— Colin, 1/20/2014" Tough read, have to look up a lot of words to understand. Very elegant writing. Didn't finish it. Will come back to it someday. "
— Katie, 1/19/2014" Essays of Hamilton, Madison, and Jay arguing for the ratification of the Constitution. Great insight into the logic our founders used in creating our government. "
— Jason, 1/18/2014" The perfect book to help you understand our foundational document. "
— Andrew, 1/6/2014" This is another book I keep in the open file. I read different segments at different time, depending on that subjects relating to America that I may be focusing on at the time. I consider it a reference book, just as any other reference book and refer to it often. "
— Neal, 1/1/2014" Should be a required read for everyone. Letters to the public about what the government should be. "
— Troy, 12/10/2013" read at St. John's College "
— Mischke, 12/5/2013" Why this book isn't required reading in every American high school, I'll never know. "
— Agnes, 11/24/2013" Truly these essays are must-reads if we want to perpetuate the freedom that our Founding Fathers envisioned. "
— Jenny, 11/15/2013" Re-reading them after many years. Enjoying them as much as ever. A hard read, obviously, but terribly interesting. Good way to get into the heads of some of the founding fathers. "
— Monta, 11/13/2013" Great use for a high school Civics classroom "
— Jody, 10/17/2013" An important collection of papers, published during the Constitutional debate in the late 1980s to try to persuade people to support adoption of the document. It presents important insights into the authors' thinking about this foundational document. "
— Steven, 6/12/2013" This book is perfec for understanding the constitution on a deeper level. The thorough history and logic used by the Founding Fathers amazes me every time I read it. "
— Kaydence, 4/10/2013" The heart of any good political science education in America. "
— Cindy, 4/6/2013" Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand American history. Get it strait from the horse's mouth. "
— Ki, 4/2/2013" still working on this one "
— G0rd0, 3/2/2013" All you need is Fed # 10. "
— Samantha, 1/18/2013" Everyone has read this. If that does not include you, then something is wrong. I don't often agree with the principles of these Founding Dudes but I needed to understand them and their arguments. I would pair this with Carol Berkin's A Brilliant Solution. "
— Eileen, 11/15/2012" Essential to understand the mindsets of the framers. "
— Joe, 10/16/2012" Essays by the supporting passage of the bill of rights. Gives some surprises as to why these amendments to the Constitution and what their real purposes are. A must read for every American. "
— Fredrick, 6/20/2011" A MUST read for every American!<br/>Go on...get to it!<br/> "
— Bre, 6/13/2011" The Federalists won. <br/><br/>I haven't read these in ten years. I think it is time for a revisit. "
— Laura, 4/12/2011" If you ever wonder if our founding fathers knew what they were doing the book answers that question. Sheer brilliance. You will end up knowing far more about our constitution then they ever taught in school. "
— Rob, 3/11/2011" This is a great work to read, but I found that it took effort to keep with it and finish it. "
— Heather, 2/21/2011" The perfect book to help you understand our foundational document. "
— Andrew, 2/10/2011" Excellent way to get into the minds of the American Revolution. The Constitution becomes clear once you step into the eloquent and radical shoes of the framers of the U.S. Constitution and the Revolutionary war. "
— Christa, 12/14/2010" Said to be required reading- and you haven't read it have you? "
— Robert, 11/4/2010" Props for your Constitution, even if it did sort of fail a hundred years later. Wordy and dry, but packed with important content. "
— Devin, 10/11/2010
Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804) was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America’s first constitutional lawyers, and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. After serving in the Revolutionary War, he was elected to the Continental Congress, ultimately resigning to establish the Bank of New York. Hamilton was a main contributor to the influential Federalist Papers, a collection of essays written by himself, John Jay, and James Madison. He was mortally wounded in a famous duel with presidential candidate Aaron Burr.
John Jay (1745–1829) was a conservative lawyer who became a leading patriot. He served as minister to Spain, became the first chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, and negotiated the treaty of 1795 between the United States and Britain. His contributions to The Federalist Papers concern foreign affairs.
James Madison (1751–1836) was the fourth President of the United States and is known as the “father of the Constitution.” He was secretary of state under Jefferson; his main achievement in this role was the purchase of Louisiana from the French. He was elected president in 1809 and again in 1812. During his terms in office he worked to abolish slavery, to disestablish the Church, and to seek peace.
Michael Edwards is a playwright and director from Baltimore.