Texas A&M University (TAMU) HIST106 Practice Exam 1

The Federalist Papers were a series of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in the late 18th century. Their primary objective was to advocate for the ratification of the United States Constitution. The authors aimed to explain the advantages of the Constitution, arguing that it would create a stronger national government while still preserving individual liberties and the rights of states.

The documents addressed various criticisms of the Constitution, emphasizing the necessity of a unified federal system to replace the weaker Articles of Confederation. By detailing how the proposed government would function and addressing concerns about centralized power, the Federalist Papers sought to convince skeptics of the need for a more robust federal structure. The discussions on issues like checks and balances, separation of powers, and federalism were crucial in shaping public opinion in favor of ratification.

The other choices do not align with the core purpose of the Federalist Papers. While the abolition of slavery and the establishment of a federal bank were significant issues in American history, they were not the focus of the Federalist Papers. The end of British colonial rule was a key motivation behind the American Revolution but not part of the discussion in these writings, which engaged more with the framework of governance that followed independence.