The Federalist Essays
With everything in place, the Constitution could now be composed. During the summer months of 1787, the delegates worked diligently to create this historical document. However, the real work would be in having the document ratified, or approved. The Constitution itself called for the approval of at least nine of the thirteen states. Once again, the Federalists took action in posing their views.
Essentially, the Federalists supported the document. They desired a strong national government. Supporters of this group included leaders such as George Washington, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. The Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution, believing that a federal government would take away power from the local or state governments. In order to gain further support, three Federalists, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, wrote a series of essays, known as The Federalist Papers. The essays, published as a collection in a volume titled The Federalist, explained the need for the Constitution as well as how the new government was structured.