Federalist Papers

Definition

The Federalist Papers are a series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay promoting ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Related terms

Anti-Federalists: Those who opposed ratification of the Constitution because they feared it gave too much power to national government at expense of state governments.

Bill Of Rights: First ten amendments added to U.S. Constitution as result of Anti-Federalists' concerns during ratification process; these protect individual liberties against federal encroachment.

Ratification Process: The official way that an amendment is accepted or approved.