The Federalist was first published in book form in 1788, following a serial run of individual articles in New York newspapers from October of 1787 to August of 1788. Authored by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, but printed with the signature of "Publius," these 85 articles argued for ratification of the United States Constitution and explained the proposed function and operation of the new government. Republished many times over the past two centuries, the Federalist papers remain a principal source for interpretation of the Constitution and for understanding the ideas and intentions of its framers.