James Madison and John Jay wrote a total of 85 essays called the Federalist Papers which covered fundamental principles like the division of government powers, legislative checks and balances, and establishment of an independent judiciary. The writings were so influential that each state eventually ratified the Constitution. Most of the same ideals set forth in the Federalist Papers are still in force in the U.S. today.
One of the ways they are still used is when interpreting the Constitution, federal judges frequently use The Federalist Papers as a way of better understanding the intentions of the framers and ratifiers. These papers are literally a way for us to understand what was going on in the heads of the people who helped create this country. By the year 2000, The Federalist papers had been quoted 291 times in Supreme Court decisions. This really helps you understand how important these papers were to the creation and interpretation of our constitution.
A lot of people don’t understand that there was a lot of arguing over what should be in the constitution and what shouldn’t at first there were a couple ratifiers that did even want a bill of rights. Imagine our constitution without the bill of rights. Some people don’t believe they should play a big role in today’s government like former Chief justice John Marshall he during McCulloch v. Maryland he stated “the opinions expressed by the authors of that work have been justly supposed to be entitled to great respect in expounding the Constitution. No tribute can be paid to them which exceeds their merit; but in applying their opinions to the cases which may arise in the progress of our government, a right to judge their correctness must be retained.” But does he have a point? Just because they framed the constitution does this mean that everything they said was right? We all interpret the constitution in different ways.
The second amendment is a great example; it says“ a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Some people may say it doesn’t say every citizen it says “a well regulated militia” others may say that it says the “ right of the people” it’s things like this that we as Americans have to figure out what to do and what’s best for our country. Were they wrong for putting this or were they right? We’ll never know we just have to decide what’s best for our country after all it isn’t their country anymore it’s ours.
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