The Federalist Papers A Reader's Guide

The Federalist Papers constitute a key document in the understanding of the American government. Written by John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton, these 85 texts were published between 1787 and 1788 to convince the state of New York to ratify the Constitution. Today, the Papers are studied in courses on American government, American political thought, and constitutional law. However, the size and organization of the full text, notwithstanding its complex political concepts and context, make it difficult for students to apprehend. The Reader's Guide will be a key tool to help them understand the issues at hand and the significance of the Papers then and now. Organized around key issues, such as the branches of the government, the utility of the Union, or skepticism of a national regime, the work will walk the reader through the 85 Papers, providing them with the needed intellectual and historical contexts.Designed to supplement the reading of The Federalist Papers, the guide will help elucidate not only their contents, but also their importance and contemporary relevance.

Kyle Scott is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Houston, USA. He is the author of several journal articles and books, including Dismantling American Common Law (Lexington Books, 2008) and Federalism (Continuum, 2011).

Section 1. ContextSection 2. Overview of ThemesSection 3. Reading the Text 3.1: The Utility of the Union 3.2: Critique of the Existing Confederacy 3.3: A Government with the Right Amount of Energy 3.4: The Convention and its Plan 3.5: Trouble for the States? 3.6: The Institutions (Separation of Powers) 3.7: The Institutions (House of Representatives) 3.8: The Institutions (Regulation of Elections) 3.9: Institutions (Senate) 3.10: Institutions (Executive) 3.11: Institutions (Judiciary) 3.12: Bringing it to a CloseSection 4. Contemporary RelevanceSection 5. Suggested Readings