Federalist Papers Pros And Cons

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The Federalist Papers are without doubt, one of the most important historical documents in American history. While the original intent was to encourage the ratification of the Constitution in the state of New York, today they show political history, and are used by modern-day scholars and Supreme Court Justices to interpret the Constitution. The Federalist Papers continue to be important and significant because they provide insight on the political practices during the Constitutional debates, aid scholars and judges in interpreting the Constitution, and explain, in great detail, the specifics of the United States Constitution. The Federalist Papers were written during the ratification debates, which took place during the late eighteenth century. …show more content…
First, they “explained that a strong government was needed for a variety of reasons, but especially if the United States was to be able to act effectively in foreign affairs” (U.S. History). One of the main concerns of the Anti-Federalists was that the Constitution would restrict personal freedom. However, the Federalist Papers elaborate on the issue, determining that a strong government was necessary for the success of the nation. Secondly, they set out to “convince readers that because of the ‘separation’ of powers in the central government, there was little chance of the national government evolving into a tyrannical power” (U.S. History). Based upon the ideas of Baron de Montesquieu, the Founding Fathers made the decision to split the government into three coequal branches. The Federalists believed that this “Separation of Powers” would prevent an oppressive as a system of “Checks and Balances” would be put in place. Using Separation of Powers, none of the three branches of government could overpower the others. Eventually, these arguments succeeded in winning over the state of New York for the