Publication of the first Federalist Paper

Background. The Federal Convention sent the proposed Constitution to the Confederation Congress, which submitted it to the states for ratification at the end of September 1787. Criticism soon appeared in the New York press, with "Cato" first appearing on September 27, 1787, and "Brutus" following on October 18, 1787; these and other critical pieces later became known as the Anti-Federalist Papers.

The Independent Journal. The Independent Journal was a semi-weekly New York City journal and newspaper edited and published by John McLean and Archibald McLean. Its content included contemporary essays and notices, and its first issue had appeared on November 17, 1783, carrying news of George Washington's resignation as commander-in-chief.

The Essay Series. The Federalist is a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the collective pseudonym Publius to promote ratification of the Constitution, specifically in New York. At the time of publication, the authors attempted to hide their identities because Hamilton and Madison had attended the convention.