Many Americans have heard of the Federalist Papers, but may not be fully aware of just what they were. Founders advocating the ratification of the new U. S. Constitution wrote a series of 85 articles. Most were published serially in the Independent Journal and the New York Packet between October 1787 and August 1788. The Federalist, a compilation of all 85, was published by J. and A. McLean in 1788. While all the articles were published under the pseudonym "Publius", there were three men primarily responsible for them: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
As you read the Federalist Papers, you'll see they addressed some specific categories of information. The index below is subdivided to show them.
The Importance of the Union
Federalist 1: General Introduction (Hamilton)
Federalist 2: Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence (Jay)
Federalist 3: Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence (Jay)
Federalist 4: Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence (Jay)
Federalist 5: Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence (Jay)
Federalist 6: Concerning Dangers from War between the States (Hamilton)
Federalist 7: The Subject continued, and Particular Causes Enumerated (Hamilton)
Federalist 8: The Effect of Internal War in Producing Standing Armies (Hamilton)
Federalist 9: The Utility of the Union as a Safeguard against Domestic Faction and Insurrection (Hamilton)
Federalist 10: The Subject continued (Madison)
Federalist 11: The Utility of the Union in respect to Commerce and a Navy (Hamilton)
Federalist 12: The Utility of the Union in respect to Revenue (Hamilton)
Federalist 13: The same Subject continued with a View to Economy (Hamilton)
Federalist 14: An Objection drawn from the Extent of Country answered (Madison)
Defects of the Articles of Confederation
Federalist 15: Concerning the Defects of the Present Confederation (Hamilton)
Federalist 16: The Subject continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 17: The Subject continued and Illustrated by Examples (Hamilton)
Federalist 18: The Subject continued and Illustrated by Examples (Madison with Hamilton)
Federalist 19: The Subject continued and Illustrated by Examples (Madison with Hamilton)
Federalist 20: The Subject continued and Illustrated by Examples (Madison with Hamilton)
Federalist 21: Further Defects of the Present Constitution (Hamilton)
Federalist 22: Further Defects of the Present Constitution (Hamilton)
Arguments for the Type of Government Contained in the Constitution
Federalist 23: The Necessity of a Government at least equally energetic with the one proposed (Hamilton)
Federalist 24: The Subject continued, with an Answer to an Objection concerning Standing Armies (Hamilton)
Federalist 25: The Subject continued, with an Answer to an Objection concerning Standing Armies (Hamilton)
Federalist 26: The Subject continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 27: The Subject continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 28: The Subject continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 29: Concerning the Militia (Hamilton)
Federalist 30: Concerning Taxation (Hamilton)
Federalist 31: Concerning Taxation (Hamilton)
Federalist 32: Concerning Taxation (Hamilton)
Federalist 33: Concerning Taxation (Hamilton)
Federalist 34: Concerning Taxation (Hamilton)
Federalist 35: Concerning Taxation (Hamilton)
Federalist 36: Concerning Taxation (Hamilton)
The Republican Form of Government
Federalist 37: Concerning the Difficulties which the Convention must have experienced (Madison)
Federalist 38: The Subject continued (Madison)
Federalist 39: The Conformity of the Plan to Republican Principles (Madison)
Federalist 40: The Subject continued (Madison)
Federalist 41: General View of the Powers proposed to be vested in the Union (Madison)
Federalist 42: The Subject continued (Madison)
Federalist 43: The Subject continued (Madison)
Federalist 44: The Subject continued (Madison)
Federalist 45: A further Discussion of the Supposed Danger from the Powers of the Union to the State Governments (Madison)
Federalist 46: The Subject of the Last Paper resumed (Madison)
Federalist 47: The Meaning of the Maxim which requires a Separation of the Departments of Power (Madison)
Federalist 48: The same Subject continued (Madison) (Madison)
Federalist 49: The same Subject continued (Hamilton or Madison)
Federalist 50: The same Subject continued (Hamilton or Madison)
Federalist 51: The same Subject continued (Hamilton or Madison)
The Legislative Branch
Federalist 52: Concerning the House of Representatives (Hamilton or Madison)
Federalist 53: The same Subject continued (Hamilton or Madison)
Federalist 54: The same Subject continued (Hamilton or Madison)
Federalist 55: The same Subject continued (Hamilton or Madison)
Federalist 56: The same Subject continued (Hamilton or Madison)
Federalist 57: The same Subject continued (Hamilton or Madison)
Federalist 58: The same subject continued (Hamilton or Madison)
Federalist 59: Concerning the Regulation of Elections (Hamilton)
Federalist 60: Concerning the Regulation of Elections (Hamilton)
Federalist 61: Concerning the Regulation of Elections (Hamilton)
Federalist 62: Concerning the Constitution of the Senate (Hamilton or Madison)
Federalist 63: A further View of the Constitution of the Senate (Hamilton or Madison)
Federalist 64: A further View of the Constitution of the Senate (Jay)
Federalist 65: A further View of the Constitution of the Senate (Hamilton)
Federalist 66: A further View of the Constitution of the Senate (Hamilton)
The Executive Branch
Federalist 67: Concerning the Constitution of the President (Hamilton)
Federalist 68: The View of the Constitution of the President continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 69: The same View continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 70: The same View continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 71: The same View continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 72: The same View continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 73: The same View continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 74: The same View continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 75: The same View continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 76: The same View continued (Hamilton)
Federalist 77: The View of the Constitution of the President concluded (Hamilton)
The Judicial Branch
Federalist 78: A View of the Constitution of the Judicial Department (Hamilton)
Federalist 79: A further View of the Judicial Department (Hamilton)
Federalist 80: A further View of the Judicial Department (Hamilton)
Federalist 81: A further View of the Judicial Department (Hamilton)
Federalist 82: A further View of the Judicial Department (Hamilton)
Federalist 83: A further View of the Judicial Department (Hamilton)
Conclusions and Miscellaneous Ideas
Federalist 84: Concerning several Miscellaneous Objections (Hamilton)
Federalist 85: Conclusion (Hamilton)