
Read all 85 Federalist Papers with modern notes & summaries
Federalist Reader presents all 85 essays of The Federalist Papers in their original newspaper format from 1787–1788, alongside a clean modern reading view and brief companion notes. It solves the problem of accessing these foundational texts in the form they first entered public life, making them approachable for contemporary readers without sacrificing historical authenticity. The edition is designed for students, history enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to engage with the ratification debate at their own pace, with optional guides and a subscription feature that delivers papers weekly or on their original publication dates.
The essays are displayed in a period newspaper layout with the header 'New-York · The essays of Publius · 1787–1788', recreating how readers first encountered them.
Toggle to a minimalist presentation that strips away the newspaper styling for distraction-free reading.
Reading progress (paper status: unread/read) is stored privately in the browser; no account creation is required.
All 85 papers are included, with search functionality and sort options by paper order, author, or first publication date. Filters show all, unread, or read papers.
Short guides point to the best-known essays on topics like faction, division of power, the presidency, and the courts, helping newcomers find key content quickly.
Option to have papers delivered via 'post' (email newsletter implied) — one each week or on the exact date each essay first appeared. Users can leave at any time.
Start with Paper No. 1 for sequential reading, follow companion guides for a curated path, or subscribe for scheduled delivery.
Each paper displays its title, a short message summarizing the argument, the author's name (Hamilton, Jay, or Madison), and the original publication date.
No. Reading progress (which papers are marked unread or read) is stored privately in your browser. There is no account system.
You can begin with Paper No. 1, follow companion guides to key essays on faction, power, presidency, and courts, or subscribe to receive papers by post on a schedule.
Yes, the 'Subscribe by post' option lets you have one paper delivered each week, or on the exact date it first appeared. You can leave the subscription at any time.
Papers are listed in almost chronological order, but note that No. 29 appeared after Nos. 30–36, and Nos. 78–85 first appeared together in the bound edition. The sort order includes a 'Paper order' option that respects this.
Each paper includes a short 'message' that summarizes its argument, along with the author and publication date. Companion guides provide further context on select essays.