Federalist 51 Analysis

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Federalist 51 was written on February 8, 1788 by James Madison—Founding Father, Framer of the Constitution, and Federalist. This document is a primary source, and is one out of the 29 essays that Madison contributed to the total 85 Federalist Papers. Federalist 51 has purpose, limitations, and value to modern historians. Its purpose was to reach the people of New York in order to persuade them to support the ratification of the Constitution drafted in 1787 during the Constitutional Convention. The fact that James Madison was a framer of the Constitution is valuable to modern historians because it shows that those who created the Constitution supported it. Madison was a reliable author because he was so influential in creating the law of the …show more content…
James Madison wrote that by breaking down the government into multiple parts, “its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places,”. He believed that by creating the three branches of government— executive, legislative, and judicial— they would be able to work together without one taking full control. At the time, the colonists of America were reluctant to support a strong central government after they had recently declared independence from the rule of Britain and King George III. Madison speaks to their caution of a government system, writing that the experience with Britain has taught them to be wary, but speaks also to its importance because “if men were angels, no government would be necessary,”. This document is important in history because it outlines the limitations that the government can have on itself, that one branch won’t be able to overpower the other two. It helps historians discover the point of view of one of the framers of the Constitution. That they believed that the best system of government was for it to be sectioned into smaller parts that could control each other instead of the nation being controlled by a single entity. Madison also believed that by having a large central government, more citizens are likely to agree to support the majority. That