The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was a milestone event in the history of the world. It created an unprecedented document that has impacted every nation on earth. However, at the time the Constitution was presented to the several States for ratification, its acceptance was not a sure thing. Opinions were bitterly divided between supporters (the Federalists) and detractors (the anti-Federalists). It would be up to each state to debate and decide for itself whether to support this novel form of government.
Delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed their creation on September 17, 1787. Just one week later, anti-Federalists published their first article. It was quickly followed by others, and the fate of the Constitution became precarious. Three men joined together to write in support of the Constitution: John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. They published their first article on October 27, 1787. Their writings would grow to 85 articles, and we refer to the collected works as The Federalist Papers.
Through The Federalist Papers, the small group outlined the benefits of this innovative approach, and worked to persuade their fellow citizens that this radical, even audacious, plan was the best path forward for their nascent nation. It is in that same spirit of exploration, explanation, and persuasion that we present The Centrist Papers.