Primary Source Investigation

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Primary Source Investigation
1. a) The Federalist paper no. 51 is an article amongst a collection of eighty-five others.
b) This paper got published in the year 1788 on the 6th of February.
c) Motive
i) James Madison created the federalist paper no. 51 to expound on the importance of the great constitution they formulated as a country.
ii) The author is known as James Madison. He was an American statesman and politician also given the title of a federalist given his firm belief and push for a decentralized type of government. Madison later became the president of the US.
iii) James Madison wrote this article with the intention of imploring his fellow statesmen to ratify their constitution since it served as the pathway to controlling and making the government perform according to the expectations of the citizens. The fact above is evident in the second point made by Madison that states the importance of guarding the society against oppression by rulers and also injustices by the community itself (Madison 34).
iv) Madison’s main point is the role the constitution plays in preventing governmental departments from interfering with each other’s duties as well as the authority it bestows on the people to stop their leaders from abusing power.
2. Madison wrote this essay at a time when America was felt to be walking on thin ice. The nation was facing a lot of difficulties with issues of social unrest with an economic plunge at the top of the list.

The articles then started being viewed as a let down by the citizens (Hamilton, Jay, and Madison 149). The Articles of Confederation were a failure during a time of brewing tensions called Shay’s rebellion. At this point, it was necessary to do away with the Confederacy and replace it with a central government guided by the constitution (Shmoop Editorial Team n.p.). A rise in antifederalists who were opposing this move is what triggered a federalist like James Madison. As a result, the federalist’s papers were born to convince citizens of the importance of the constitution and what better way to do this than through the press.

Work cited
Hamilton, Alexander, John Jay, and James Madison. The Federalist Papers., 2011.
Madison, James. “Federalist Paper No. 51.” February 8 (1788): 1788.
Shmoop Editorial Team. “The Federalist Papers 10 and 51: Historical Context.” Shmoop, Shmoop University, 11 Nov. 2008, www.shmoop.com/historical-texts/federalist-papers-10-and-51/historical-context.html.