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Classics - Politics

The Federalist Papers

Here you'll find links to each of the 85 Federalist Papers. Each article includes definitions of words that might be unfamiliar to modern readers. You can click the title of each one to read it online. From there you can also download PDF versions. Alternatively, you can click the audio link for each paper to listen to the MP3 version (thanks to Librivox.org), or you can download all of the audio versions in a zipped archive (436 MB). For an explanation of the icons included within the text, please see the FAQ article addressing that issue.

The Importance of the Union

Federalist No. 1: General Introduction by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 2: Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence by John Jay

Federalist No. 3: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence) by John Jay

Federalist No. 4: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence) by John Jay

Federalist No. 5: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence) by John Jay

Federalist No. 6: Concerning Dangers from Dissensions Between States by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 7: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning Dangers from Dissensions Between States) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 8: The Consequences of Hostilities Between the States by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 9: The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 10: The Same Subject Continued (The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection) by James Madison

Federalist No. 11: The Utility of the Union in Respect to Commercial Relations and a Navy by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 12: The Utility of the Union in Respect to Revenue by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 13: Advantage of the Union in Respect to Economy in Government by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 14: Objections to the Proposed Constitution From Extent of Territory Answered by James Madison

Defects of the Articles of Confederation

Federalist No. 15: The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 16: The Same Subject Continued (The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 17: The Same Subject Continued (The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 18: The Same Subject Continued (The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union) by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison

Federalist No. 19: The Same Subject Continued (The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union) by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison

Federalist No. 20: The Same Subject Continued (The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union) by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison

Federalist No. 21: Other Defects of the Present Confederation by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 22: The Same Subject Continued (Other Defects of the Present Confederation) by Alexander Hamilton

Arguments for the Type of Government Contained in the Constitution

Federalist No. 23: The Necessity of a Government as Energetic as the One Proposed to the Preservation of the Union by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 24: The Powers Necessary to the Common Defense Further Considered by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 25: The Same Subject Continued (The Powers Necessary to the Common Defense Further Considered) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 26: The Idea of Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense Considered by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 27: The Same Subject Continued (The Idea of Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense Considered) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 28: The Same Subject Continued (The Idea of Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense Considered) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 29: Concerning the Militia by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 30: Concerning the General Power of Taxation by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 31: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning the General Power of Taxation) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 32: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning the General Power of Taxation) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 33: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning the General Power of Taxation) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 34: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning the General Power of Taxation) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 35: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning the General Power of Taxation) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 36: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning the General Power of Taxation) by Alexander Hamilton

The Republican Form of Government

Federalist No. 37: Concerning the Difficulties of the Convention in Devising a Proper Form of Government by James Madison

Federalist No. 38: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning the Difficulties of the Convention in Devising a Proper Form of Government) and the Incoherence of the Objections to the New Plan Exposed by James Madison

Federalist No. 39: The Conformity of the Plan to Republican Principles by James Madison

Federalist No. 40: The Powers of the Convention to Form a Mixed Government Examined and Sustained by James Madison

Federalist No. 41: General View of the Powers Conferred by the Constitution by James Madison

Federalist No. 42: The Powers Conferred by the Constitution Further Considered by James Madison

Federalist No. 43: The Same Subject Continued (The Powers Conferred by the Constitution Further Considered) by James Madison

Federalist No. 44: Restrictions on the Authority of the Several States by James Madison

Federalist No. 45: The Alleged Danger From the Powers of the Union to the State Governments Considered by James Madison

Federalist No. 46: The Influence of the State and Federal Governments Compared by James Madison

Federalist No. 47: The Particular Structure of the New Government and the Distribution of Power Among Its Different Parts by James Madison

Federalist No. 48: These Departments Should Not Be So Far Separated as to Have No Constitutional Control Over Each Other by James Madison

Federalist No. 49: Method of Guarding Against the Encroachments of Any One Department of Government by Appealing to the People Through a Convention by Alexander Hamilton or James Madison

Federalist No. 50: Periodical Appeals to the People Considered by Alexander Hamilton or James Madison

Federalist No. 51: The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments by Alexander Hamilton or James Madison

The Legislative Branch

Federalist No. 52: The House of Representatives by Alexander Hamilton or James Madison

Federalist No. 53: The Same Subject Continued (The House of Representatives) by Alexander Hamilton or James Madison

Federalist No. 54: The Apportionment of Members Among the States by Alexander Hamilton or James Madison

Federalist No. 55: The Total Number of the House of Representatives by Alexander Hamilton or James Madison

Federalist No. 56: The Same Subject Continued (The Total Number of the House of Representatives) by Alexander Hamilton or James Madison

Federalist No. 57: The Alleged Tendency of the New Plan to Elevate the Few at the Expense of the Many Considered in Connection with Representation by Alexander Hamilton or James Madison

Federalist No. 58: Objection That The Number of Members Will Not Be Augmented by the Progress of Population Demands Considered by James Madison

Federalist No. 59: Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 60: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 61: The Same Subject Continued (Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 62: The Senate by Alexander Hamilton or James Madison

Federalist No. 63: The Same Subject Continued (The Senate) by Alexander Hamilton or James Madison

Federalist No. 64: The Powers of the Senate by John Jay

Federalist No. 65: The Same Subject Continued (The Powers of the Senate) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 66: Objections to the Power of the Senate To Set as a Court for Impeachments Further Considered by Alexander Hamilton

The Executive Branch

Federalist No. 67: The Executive Department by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 68: The Mode of Electing the President by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 69: The Real Character of the Executive by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 70: The Executive Department Further Considered by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 71: The Duration in Office of the Executive by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 72: The Same Subject Continued (The Duration in Office of the Executive), and Re-Eligibility of the Executive Considered by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 73: The Provision For The Support of the Executive, and the Veto Power by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 74: The Command of the Military and Naval Forces, and the Pardoning Power of the Executive by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 75: The Treaty-Making Power of the Executive by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 76: The Appointing Power of the Executive by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 77: The Appointing Power Continued and Other Powers of the Executive Considered by Alexander Hamilton

The Judicial Branch

Federalist No. 78: The Judiciary Department by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 79: The Same Subject Continued (The Judiciary Department) by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 80: The Powers of the Judiciary by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 81: The Judiciary Continued, and the Distribution of the Judicial Authority by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 82: The Judiciary Continued by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 83: The Judiciary Continued in Relation to Trial by Jury by Alexander Hamilton

Conclusions and Miscellaneous Ideas

Federalist No. 84: Certain General and Miscellaneous Objections to the Constitution Considered and Answered by Alexander Hamilton

Federalist No. 85: Concluding Remarks by Alexander Hamilton