Thomas Jefferson called The Federalist Papers "the best commentary on the principles of government, which ever was written." Over 200 years after the writing of these essays, most commentators-liberal and conservative-still agree.While The Federalist is indeed an important resource for understanding the meaning of our Constitution, its relevance is based on something deeper. The author of the essays knew the principles as part of the immediate political struggle for ratification.In this monograph, Anthony Peacock, professor of political science at Utah State University, offers us a brief guide to The Federalist, a road map illuminating the major issues treated in the essays and explaining their continued relevance for us today.