U.S. History: Revolution- The Dangers of Factionalism: Federalist No. 10
Beginning in October 1787, The Federalist, later known as the Federalist Papers, was published in two New York newspapers. This series of articles written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, who published using the pseudonym “Publius,” sought to address many of the criticisms of the new U.S. constitution and ease the way for ratification. A total of eighty-five articles were written in less than two years, with seventy-seven published serially. The sheer volume of essays and eloquent arguments contained with each made it nearly impossible for the opposition to refute or debate any of the Federalist’s claims. In total, the Federalist provides a unique insight into the reasoning behind how our Constitution is structured, and, according to the Library of Congress, is “considered the most important work on statecraft and political theory ever written by Americans.”
