The Federalist Papers

The Federalist Papers are a series of 85 articles advocating the ratification of the US Constitution. 77 of the essays were published serially in The Independent Journal & The NY Packet between 10/1787 & 8/1788. A compilation of these & 8 others, called The Federalist, was published in 1788 by J.&A. McLean.
The Federalist Papers serve as a primary source for interpretation of the Constitution, as they outline the philosophy & motivation of the proposed system of government.The authors wanted both to influence the vote in favor of ratification & to shape future interpretations of the Constitution. According to historian Richard B. Morris, they are an “incomparable exposition of the Constitution, a classic in political science unsurpassed in both breadth & depth by the product of any later American writer.”
The articles were written by:
Alexander Hamilton (1,6–9,11–13,15–17,21–36,59–61,65–85)
James Madison (10,14,18–20,37–58,62–63)
John Jay (2–5,64)
They appeared under the pseudonym “Publius,” in honor of Roman consul Publius Valerius Publicola. Madison is generally credited as the father of the Constitution & became 4th President of the United States. Hamilton was an active delegate at the Constitutional Convention & became 1st Secretary of the Treasury. John Jay became 1st Chief Justice of the United States.