Thomas Jefferson called it the "best commentary on the principles of government, which ever was written."  It is certainly the definitive interpretation and defense of the Constitution of the United States. The Federalist is a complex political work comprised of arguments about war, economics, national unity, and liberty (among other things) based on appeals to history, human nature, reason, and prudence.  In this course we will examine the Federalist as fully and as deeply we can, aiming to understand how (or whether) its parts fit together in a coherent whole and its enduring contribution to our understanding of politics.