In the autumn of 1787, citizens of the thirteen American states operating under the Articles of Confederation began discussing ratification of the Constitution drafted over the summer in Philadelphia by their representatives. They debated, among other things, whether so large a country as envisaged by the framers could be expected to hold together. Almost immediately, anti-federalist opponents of ratification launched attacks on various aspects of the agreement. Alexander Hamilton recruited James Madison and John Jay to write with him a series of essays in support. The Federalist No. 1 appeared in the Independent Journal, in New York, on October 27,…