What are the Federalist Papers?

According to the Library of Congress, the Federalist Papers are a series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in 1787-88. First appearing in the New York Independent Journal under the pen name "Publius," the essays aimed to convince New Yorkers to ratify the new Constitution. Today, they continue to serve as an important resource for understanding U.S. Constitution from the standpoint of its authors.

To read the full text of the Federalist Papers, check out the Library of Congress.