Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay · Author
Author
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
American statesmen who wrote The Federalist Papers under the pen name Publius
About Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote as Publius during the 1787-1788 ratification struggle over the United States Constitution. Hamilton was a nationalist lawyer and future Treasury secretary, Madison a principal constitutional architect and future president, and Jay a diplomat and future chief justice. Together they produced the most influential defense of the proposed federal system.
Frequently Cited
“whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice”
“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary”
The Federalist Papers are eighty-five essays written to persuade New York voters to ratify the proposed United States Constitution. Published under the shared pseudonym Publius, they defend a stronger federal union against fears that centralized power would destroy liberty.