The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics)

Book Description

The documents thatshaped a nation.

Three of the founding fathers brilliantly defend their revolutionary charter: the Constitution of the United States, a milestone in political science and a classic of American history.

Customer Reviews:

Brillian insights from our founding fathers.......2007-09-26

Our founding fathers created the greatest system of government in history. That government was set up through the United States Constitution.

When the debate over whether to ratify the Constitution was ongoing, a series of pamplets were distributed arguing in favor of ratification and spelling out clearly the case for the Constitution. The Federalist Papers are a compilation of those essays. They are the best defense of our Republic and our Liberty, ever.

Every American needs to read this book. The government has become bloated and gave itself authority well beyond the limits that the Constitution set up. If we are going to take back our Republic, these essays are the philosophical basis for returning government to its Constitutional limits.

The Federalist Papers.......2007-08-23

This is one of the three or four most important books in English published since 1776. All candidates for federal office should be required to pass a comprehensice essay exam on the Federalist Papers.Applicants for citizenship should be tested on this book.

Very Useful Book, Not A Perfect Edition.......2007-01-09

The Federalist Papers is without a doubt a necessary compilation of rhetoric trying to bring out all the positive aspects of the American Constitution (as well as to discredit some of the criticism it received) for any individual considering himself politically enlightened. Far too many times you will be likely to encounter someone who is completely unfamiliar with notions like executive prerogative and is in utter bewilderment where Bush, for example, gets off with such ideas as the recent wiretaps. The abstract justification for such cases is among the countless other arguments provided by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay within these pages, and though one may disagree with them, they are nonetheless important to know and understand. They are hardly perfect, and many, such as Hamilton's attempt to justify the absence of a Bill of Rights, show that these articles sought to employ every argument available to make it seem that the Constitution was a paragon of a social contract (rather than a document meticulously written as a result of numerous compromises with little universal ideological consistency), but they are nonetheless important to have in one's library.

Of course, it's easy to find every single one of them online for free, not to mention all the other documents this edition adds on, such as the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. It is a good thing, then, that this edition is so cheap, as it is certainly convenient to have them all in a relatively small book that preserves all your markings. The edition also tries to overcome this burden of free access to its material through a masterfully written introduction, through a table of contents that briefly summarizes the argument contained within each article, and through the numerous footnotes that concisely expand upon the many now archaic references to the Romans and the Classics that Publius tends to make. For these reasons, I find having this precise copy of the Federalist Papers worth the 7 or so bucks that it costs.

The one thing I dislike about it, and why I give it 4 stars rather than 5, is that the paper and ink are almost of newspaper quality, so that extensive reading will tend to leave black markings on one's fingers. This does get annoying when writing papers about it and flipping around its pages.

GREAT Book...everything you need, looks nice, small but not TOO small.......2007-01-04

This copy is worth every penny and more. It was such a great value. Dec of Independence, Const, Articles of Confed, etc. The one-stop-shop for the important US government works.

A Contention and a Suggestion.......2006-08-25

One of the reviewers below challenges the notion that the US was ever a Democracy, however, he (apologies if it's a 'she') is viewing the Federalist Papers from the perspective of modern times, and that is a fallacy in reviewing this work, but fortunately it's an instructive fallacy.

The issue with the Federalist Papers is that although it is the leading arguments for the creation of a more centralized government (to replace the Articles of Confederation which seemed inpractible), not all of these arguments were adopted in the Constitution, and some that were did not survive very long. As a result, you may get the wrong impression that the Federalist Papers=the Constitution. Remember, Hamilton's party, the Federalists, did not survive much longer after the defeat of Adams by Jefferson in the 1800 election. The populism of Jefferson and Madison were the ultimate winners *at the time*.

And my *at the time* comment is important. Nowadays the federal government of the US holds a superior and decisive position in the governing of its people; this has not always been the case. In the early-to-mid 19th century, federal power was severely limited when it came to internal affairs; most of the government was conducted at the local level, with some county and state control thrown in where applicable. So *at the time*, the fact that the Senate had 2 members from each state (and appointed by the state legislature) regardless of population was *not* a measure that was anti-democratic in purpose. Democracy existed because the government was predominantly local and the people were predominantly involved in its affairs.

Thus my contention; now for the suggestion: if your project is strictly to research the creation of the US Constitution, than the Federalist Papers by themselves are fine. If, however, you are more interested in how the Constitution affected American society at that time, I would recommend that you start by reading de Tocqueville's "Democracy in America", and working backwards. The immediate results of the Constitution are best expressed in de Tocqueville (he toured the United States and published his work in Europe within 50 years of the ratification) because its not the causes of the Constitution he is discussing, but its effects. After you have completed Democracy in America, then you'll be able to approach the Federalist (and of course the Anti-Federalist) Papers with the understanding of what worked, what didn't, and maybe what we need to work again for.

The Federalist Papers: In Modern Language : Indexed for Today's Political Issues

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Federalist Papers made easy
What it Means to be American
Manditory reading for anyone interested in Laws and Rights
Great FP Primer
An Aid To Understanding Our Political Heritage

The Federalist Papers: In Modern Language : Indexed for Today's Political Issues

Manufacturer: Merril Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

Federalist Papers made easy.......2007-06-11

While reading The Federalist in the original language of Madison, Hamilton and Jay is still my first choice, this modern language version is perfect for those students who struggle with the original. It also indexes the papers to some of the major issues of the day and provides a good contemporary slant to these important American documents.

Professor James Kee
George Washington University

What it Means to be American .......2006-11-18

Although I thought I had a fairly good command of American history, the Federalist Papers reminds me of what it means to be American, and that I needed to learn a great deal more. It describes something lost. It reminds us that there was a time when everyone was involved in society and government, that people took pride in political discussion, and lacked the cynicism and neglect that Americans have today. It was political discussion that lacked name-calling, rabid conservatism or liberalism that so divides us deeply. And in the middle, are the people who just don't care. Being American is not just about waving the flag, it really is about earning a Ph.d in citizenship, and the Federalist Papers provides the opportunity for achieving it.

Many reviews describe books they think should be textbooks for school. These screeds are usually attempts at revisionism that should be anything but textbooks or required reading. The Federalist Papers should be both. They should be discussed daily and the earlier, the better. It should be the New Testament of America, and the Constitution should be the Old.

I was drawn toward this edition for two reasons: 1) it is modern language that made it a bit easier for me to comprehend. 2) After listening to arguments by Senator Byrd of West Virginia, and the misinterpretation of the Constitution by Sean Hannity, I felt it almost a civic duty to make the purchase. Much of it is now highlighted in yellow.

I hope you too will feel bound to purchase the Federalist Papers in any form. It's what it means to be American.

Manditory reading for anyone interested in Laws and Rights.......2005-10-08

This is nothing less than an exact translation of the Federalist papers for perople of our generations to read and understand. I found this necessary, as the truth and the history of our country is so clouded by media and revisionism, that it becomes very important to really look and study why our country was set up like it is. I recommend it to everyone. But I especially recommend it to students of law and our country. It is interesting, and well written. It easily is equivalent to a number of college level classes in constitutional law.

Great FP Primer.......2004-03-20

I think this book would make a great high school text for students in American Government classes. I'm sure at college levels the FPs aren't too hard to read in their old English, but the index is great. And the book is a testament to how wise the founding fathers who made the case for our current constitution really were. Many of the things they warned us against are indeed coming true in our democracy today.

Perhaps if more people actually read the documents our founders wrote, there would be fewer people who believed in Bush's "activist" judges charge and more who realized that judges are supposed to uphold constitutions - uphold them even when the equality they provide to a minority is doing so against the will of a popular majority.

An Aid To Understanding Our Political Heritage.......2004-01-05

Mary E. Webster has performed an invaluable public service with this book. The Federalist Papers are among the most significant documents of this nation's founding era, yet they go largely unread, primarily because of their legalistic tone and complex sentence structure. As Webster states in her introduction, she has no political or social axe to grind and no agenda to fulfill. She simply wished to make these important documents available to a wider audience, and has succeeded admirably in that goal.

Webster's background allowed her to bring a one-of-a-kind approach to this project. She's not a political scholar; she is a published novelist, and a certified interpreter for the deaf. She says this was her best preparation for conveying what Hamilton, Madison and Jay actually meant. Also, she cautions this work is not meant as a substitute for reading the papers themselves; rather she hopes it will inspire readers (as it did this one) to go to the originals with greater interest and confidence.

In addition to the "translation" of the papers, Webster has also provided a comprehensive index to their contents. There's been much debate in recent years about the "original intent" of the men who drafted the constitution. The best places to find their true intentions are in the records of the constitutional convention itself and in the Federalist Papers. It's all here, from taxation and property rights, to gun rights and the impeachment process. This is a book for the scholar, the student and any citizen who cares about our most fundamental rights.--William C. Hall

The Essential Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers

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A Comparative Analysis

The Essential Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers
Alexander Hamilton , James Madison , and John Jay
Manufacturer: Hackett Publishing Company
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Book Description

Here, in a single volume, is a selection of the classic critiques of the new Constitution penned by such ardent defenders of states' rights and personal liberty as George Mason, Patrick Henry, and Melancton Smith; pro-Constitution writings by James Wilson and Noah Webster; and thirty-three of the best-known and most crucial Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. The texts of the chief constitutional documents of the early Republic are included as well.

David Wootton's illuminating Introduction examines the history of such "American" principles of government as checks and balances, the separation of powers, representation by election, and judicial independence—including their roots in the largely Scottish, English, and French "new science of politics." It also offers suggestions for reading The Federalist, the classic elaboration of these principles written in defense of a new Constitution that sought to apply them to the young Republic.

Customer Reviews:

A Comparative Analysis.......2006-02-11

Among the significant documents of American history, few hold such a high degree of significance as the FEDERALIST PAPERS, constructed by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay. There is an endless list of books written on the Federalist Papers of which to choose from, however, the Anti-Federalist side of the argument has, for the most part, been ignored among American historians, and I know of no other volume that gives the reader a better opportunity to examine both sides of the argument together. THE ESSENTIAL FEDERALIST AND ANTI-FEDERALIST PAPERS, edited by David Wootton, presents both sides of the argument for the reader's examination.

Wootton provides documents defending each argument beginning with the historical sources, such as Blackstone's COMMENTARIES, used to construct the Constitution. Seven antifederalist voices follow, beginning with George Mason's broadside and concluding with four of Judge Robert Yates' ESSAYS OF BRUTUS.

This book serves a long overdue purpose, however, is not without fault. I'm sure, for brevity's sake, Wootton has included only 33 of the Federalist Papers (the original 33 which appeared in the New York newspapers, none of the later 52 papers which appeared in book form). My biggest disappointment in the book, however, is that the Federalist and Anti-Federalist arguments are separated rather than in chronological order. This would have made it much easier to comprehend what was being said in that, many of the arguments were responses to previous arguments from the opposition.

The book concludes with a selection of Constitutional documents. The Articles of Confederation, Madison and Edmund Randolph's Virginia Plan, and the Constitution-together with the first ten amendments-finish the volume, which also features a detailed index. Even though there were a few things I did not like about this book, if your goal is to research both sides of the Federalist/Anti-Federalist argument, this is a terrific source and will save you countless hours of research.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

Average customer rating:

Spark Some Thought
Excellent material, difficult to read
Classical political work that was vital in ratification of the Constitution
Fascinating...For the Right Person
A great revision of a classic work

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Amazon.com

"This country and this people seem to have been made for each other, and it appears as if it was the design of Providence, that an inheritance so proper and convenient for a band of brethren ... should never be split into a number of unsocial, jealous, and alien sovereignties." So wrote John Jay, one of the revolutionary authors of The Federalist Papers, arguing that if the United States was truly to be a single nation, its leaders would have to agree on universally binding rules of governance--in short, a constitution. In a brilliant set of essays, Jay and his colleagues Alexander Hamilton and James Madison explored in minute detail the implications of establishing a kind of rule that would engage as many citizens as possible and that would include a system of checks and balances. Their arguments proved successful in the end, and The Federalist Papers stand as key documents in the founding of the United States.

Book Description

This is a new edition of the classic text, the papers of Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison written in support of the then-proposed Constitution of the United States. In addition to the supplementary materials provided (including a copy of the Constitution and an Index of Ideas), this revised edition also contains a new introduction, historical glossary, selected bibliography, the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation.

Download Description

This classic of American political theory, first published in 1788, defends the Constitution and explains the complexities of a constitutional government based on the inherent rights of man.

Customer Reviews:

Spark Some Thought.......2006-03-01

"The disciplined armies always kept on foot on the continent of Europe, though they bear a malignant aspect to liberty and oeconomy, have notwithstanding been productive of the signal advantage, of rendering sudden conquests impracticable, and of preventing that rapid desolation, which used to mark the progress of war, prior to their introduction." I assume this is a quote from the federalist papers. Nevertheless, I had some interesting thoughts from the passage and wish to expound.

Because a state's army is impregnable, or atleast its will, defense of freedom and welfare are not necessarily the cause(I derived that from the passage, and the rest will be questions which came to mind). How can someone hold an injurious intent towards freedom and to his or her nation's welfare while, at the same time, claiming to defend such things? Can people defend something for which they wish ill will towards? Maybe they can defend the nation but not the mentioned causes.

Brandon Williford
Tulsa, OK

Excellent material, difficult to read.......2006-01-04

I rate this book 5 stars because the content is so vital to understanding what our founding fathers were thinking as they tried to convince the Americans in New York that a "Foederal" government, rather than individual states or territories, was the best way to bring the new union together.

OK, now readability. Does anyone else have trouble understanding the writing style of the late 17th century? I appreciate that the book is true to the original newspaper articles, but sometimes my eyes glaze over and I lose the gist of what the author was trying to say. For example: "The disciplined armies always kept on foot on the continent of Europe, though they bear a malignant aspect to liberty and oeconomy, have notwithstanding been productive of the signal advantage, of rendering sudden conquests impracticable, and of preventing that rapid desolation, which used to mark the progress of war, prior to their introduction." I think he's saying that a standing army will prevent foreign powers from easily invading your country. But I have to do this "translation" in my head as I read each sentence, so the reading really gets bogged down.

So, this work is not something that most people can just breeze through - it takes some thought and understanding of the culture and style of the time. If there is a modern-language translation available, I would buy that as a supplement, because the content definitely is worth learning!

Classical political work that was vital in ratification of the Constitution.......2005-11-10

When Hamilton began the Federalist papers there were many anti- Federalists in the land urging against ratification of the Constitution. It was 1787, and Hamilton enlisted John Jay and James Madison to work with him on the papers. In the end there were eighty- five papers, five written by Jay, twenty- eight( most probably) by Madison and the rest by Hamilton.
The most influential of the papers were according to Wikipedia "number 10 calling for a large strong republic and including a discussion on factions, 51 explains the need for separation of powers. Federalist No. 84 is also notable for its opposition to what later became the United States Bill of Rights."
The Federalist Papers are written with great elegance and with a deep knowledge of the history of political forms. They are one of the many proofs we have of the special greatness of the founding fathers of the American Nation.

Fascinating...For the Right Person.......2005-03-19

You don't need to be told that the Federalist Papers are not for everyone, but for a niche audience of which I happen to be a member. And so, the qualifications: you need to have a pretty fluent command of the English language, and not just modern usage but also more archaic structure and vocabulary; you have to have a good grasp of history, at least a rough outline of it solidly in mind; you have to have a love for politics, political science and the Constitution.

If all of that is true of you, you'll probably enjoy reading this. At least, to a point. The Federalist Papers, written mainly by "Father of the Constitution" James Madison and "Shot by Aaron Burr/Closet-Monarchist" Alexander Hamilton, is a very lengthy defense of the then-proposed Constitution, point by point. And what I mean is, they will take items over which there could be seemingly no substantial debate and then write a series of three or four essays on that point. And so, it is possible that even the die-hard history/political science buff will be bored by the thirtieth page of the debate over whether standing armies should be allowed to be kept during peace time.

The most laugh-out-loud moment (and yeah, there are a few) is when the "Interstate Commerce clause" is dismissed in a slip of a paragraph, which is, of course, one of the most important and controversial passages to the modern reading of the Constitution, forming the basis for a good deal of our current legislation. Whatever one feels about our current "construction" of the Constitution, I think a fair reading of the literature will show that it is not the same construction as that of its authors.

Not laugh-out-loud at all, however, is the roaring silence on the subject of slavery. It does come up, from time to time, but the lack of debate on these matters (there are, maybe, 2-3 pages on the 3/5 compromise and a paragraph on the ending of the slave trade) proclaims the volatility of the subject matter, even 100 years before the Civil War. Madison wasn't looking to offend his audience, after all.

Of course, all of these debates are mostly moot (with a couple of exceptions) and so the Federalist Papers are largely a historical artifact... but there is something very telling about them. That is, how incredibly learned, intelligent and eloquent our Founding Fathers really were. They debate calling on historical antiquity, philosophies ancient and modern, then-current foreign political systems, the Constitutions of the several states and the Articles of Confederation. These people knew what they were doing and it all mattered to them, very much. It's kind of sobering to see with what care and deliberation they forged this Constitution, and then to compare it with the "guardians of the flame" today who can't even seem to agree on the meaning of terms like "liberty," "democracy," or, in the case of one former President, "is." When reading, you'll wish we had Madisons and Hamiltons today, or even politicians who bothered to read them... or, maybe we do, but the general level of care and education of our country today does not allow men such as those to rise. The Federalist Papers is an interesting insight into the incredibly well-thought-out origins of our country.

A great revision of a classic work.......2004-11-24

Everyone who has taken a civics, government or American history class has heard of the Federalist Papers. These 85 essays, published anonymously in New York newspapers during the debate over whether New York would ratify the Constitution, are the best "footnotes" for the Framers' intent when devising the Constitution, the powers of the three branches of government, and the overall shape of the federal government. It is simply impossible to understand the Constitution without taking the time to read the Federalist Papers. And this edition has the very useful feature of cross-references in the Constitution back to the relevant essays of the Federalist Papers.

Some of the essays now seem irrelvant (i.e., the ones dealing with minting of coins). But others are just as powerful now as they were when first written - the role of the judiciary; the conduct of foreign affairs; the division of governing authority between the President and the Congress; the destructive power that special interest groups could have on the legislative process.

The Federalist Papers are often-cited by those who argue that it is the only source of interpretation of the Framers' intent. This may be true. But even the Framers themselves later argued vehemently over what their intent was. While Hamilton supported a strong centralized federal government, Madison eventually supported a weak federal government with strong states acting almost as independent sovereigns. That same political division - between states' rights supporters and strong federalists - continues today among Democrats and Republicans. Both sides cite to the Federalist Papers as supporting their respective positions. Yet neither side can conclusively resolve what the Framers' intent truly was since the Framers themselves seemed to have changed their original intentions as the political winds changed in the years following ratification of the Constitution.

This book is an essential reference guide for anyone with an interest in the American system of government. It is a valuable tool to probe the truth behind politicians' talk of "activist judges" versus "strict constructionist judges". For those who want to be educated on the topic, rely on the Federalist Papers thmselves rather than on others telling you what the Federalist Papers really mean.

The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates (Signet Classics)

Average customer rating:

long over due
An often neglected companion.
A lot of history in here
Great But Incomplete
Needs a footnote

The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates (Signet Classics)

Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Book Description

The dissenting opinions of Patrick Henry and others who saw the Constitution as a threat to our hard-won rights and liberties.

Edited and introduced by Ralph Ketcham.

Customer Reviews:

long over due.......2007-09-11

I read the Federalist Papers when I was in school. Both should be required reading today.

An often neglected companion........2007-07-27

This collection of Anti-Federalist Papers is a must for any serious student of our nation's founding. Too often studies of the period only use the better known essays found in The Federalist Papers. This collection of work brought together by James Madison biographer, Ralph Ketcham, can be used with the companion volume of The Federalist Papers to do the arguments justice. America had a dual founding, both sides, Federalist and Anti-Federalist must be studied.

A lot of history in here.......2007-05-07

So many people today talk about the wisdom of the founding fathers and how they would have believed in this or that. Well, read it for yourself in the founding father's own words - it's all in here, and just as important today as it was over 200 years ago.

Great But Incomplete.......2007-03-05

Everyone is probably familiar with what the Anti-Federalist papers are, and the other reviews do a great job of explaining this aspect for those who aren't, so there is no great need to do it again. Needless to say, familiarity with the basic Anti-Federalist arguments and their general themes is essential to understanding the foundation from which the Constitution arose and the twists its historical development would undertake. Believe it or not, but strains of Anti-Federalism are apparent even in today's politics, like the arguments for state power found in debates about topics like abortion or gay-marriage.

The biggest question to ask before buying this book, then, isn't why the information is important, but why you should pay money for something that can be found for free online. There are several reasons, for which I give this edition 4 stars:

First, it is an accompaniment to the Signet Classics edition of the Federalist Papers, and has a variety of cross-references to it. If you have both, it makes the search for certain topics and both sides' arguments in its regard much easier.

Second, it has a great introduction. The problem with approaching the Anti-Federalists without any editorial priming beforehand (whether from an introduction, a class, or both) is that one becomes liable to think of the group as nothing but a rag-tag group of guys with as many different opinions as there are men professing them, whose only point of unity is their opposition to Federalism. Their negative name--the "Anti-"Federalists--implies this, after all, and Madison himself tries to play off this point in one of his papers. The masterful introduction tries to prevent this, by expounding on the fundamental, unifying vision of the Federalists, the Anti-Federalists, and exactly how the two differed.

Lastly, there is a variety of tables of ideas that make finding specific points of opposition to specific topics that much easier.

For these three reasons, on top of the simple fact that it groups together all the scattered Anti-Federalist essays (making it more likely that you will actually read them), I believe this book is worth the $8 that it costs today.

It does have some issues, however. First, the paper quality is the same as of the Federalist Papers edition I reviewed before, with the same associated defect of leaving ink blotches behind on your finger. For some reason, it actually leaves less ink than the Federalist Papers, but the pulpy texture is still unpleasant. Second, and most important, is the relatively sparsity of the essays included. As it is, if you take a class that touches on this topic, you will invariably end up having to find several essays online that were not included into this edition. There presently seems to be no medium alternative between buying a sparse edition like this and a full anthology that can cost into the thousands of dollars, however, so you're not likely to find anything better.

Needs a footnote.......2006-02-23

Ralph Ketcham certainly some respect I had for him when he, in the middle of Patrick Henry's speech, inserted, "Here Mr. Henry strongly and pathetically expatiated on the probability of the president's enslaving America..."

If it were not for the fact that I've already highlighted and marked up this edition, I would buy a different version and use that as my primary source. Mr. Ketcham's remarks were not in good taste, nor was it proper historical method to simply leave out an argument from Patrick Henry, thereby disallowing a following historian to examine and evaluate its merits.

****Note****: About four weeks after I wrote the post above, I discovered that the insert mentioned above was not Ketcham's doing. But rather, the side note of a journalist present at the time of Henry's speach at the Virginia Convention. My apologies to Ketcham. Although, he should have inserted a footnote to make the readers aware of what appears to be an awful bias. Unfortunately, Amazon doesn't allow users to edit their ratings and so this version of the Anti-federalist papers will remain at 1 star from me, although it should be a 4 or 5.

Regards,
Brandon K. Harnish

The Federalist Papers - Books That Changed the World

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Brand new LEATHER BOUND book accented in 22kt gold.

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Book Description

THE FEDERALIST PAPERS Read the latest edition of an American classic: The Federalist Papers. Including all 85 original articles arguing on behalf of the United States Constitution, The Federalist Papers is a "must read" for any history buff, anyone interested in political science, and for those interested in issues relating to individual vs. governmental rights. Famous authors include: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay. Though first published in the 1700's, the timeless Federalist Papers remain a true philosophical gem even today. THE ANTI-FEDERALIST PAPERS Experience history come alive as you read the powerful political debates concerning the birth of the United States Constitution in the "The Anti-Federalist Papers", a compilation of articles by the passionate nay-sayers of centralized government. Including famous Anti-Federalist authors such as Patrick Henry, "Cato", and "Brutus", the political forum herein presented captures not only the ambiance of the 1700's, but these classic debates concerning individual rights and freedom are relevant to us still today.

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ASIN: 1596052473

Book Description

The Federalist papers -- 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison in support of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution -- began appearing in New York newspapers beginning in the autumn of 1787. And though controversy still swirls around authorship of certain individual essays, and the impact the papers had on the public opinion of the time remains open to debate, it's clear that the dramatic impact on global civilization of these spirited defenses of the nation's founding document cannot be exaggerated. As masterful examinations of the fundamental principals of the U.S. system of government, they are unrivaled -- as works of political philosophy, they have moved and influenced peoples and nations around the world in their battles toward freedom and democracy. This edition also includes The Articles of Confederation of the United States, and The Declaration of Independence. ALEXANDER HAMILTON (1757-1804), JOHN JAY (1745-1829), and JAMES MADISON (1751-1836) are among the most revered of America's Founding Fathers, men whose animated advocacy of the new nation continues to reverberate in political thought today.

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The Federalist Papers Reader

Manufacturer: Seven Locks Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

The Federalist Papers rank with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as basic statements of American democracy.

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