Originally published anonymously, *The Federalist Papers* first appeared in 1787 as a series of letters to New York newspapers urging voters to ratify the new Constitution. Still debated and discussed today, *The Federalist Papers* provide readers with an important commentary on the crucial issues facing a democracy. This edition includes a complete text of the Constitution. The documents that shaped a nation. Three of the founding fathers brilliantly defend their revolutionary charter: the Constitution of the United States, a milestone in political science and a classic of American history.