Federalist No. 39, written by James Madison, explains the character of which system?

• A. The Republican System Under the Constitution
• B. A Monarchy
• C. The Confederal System Under the Articles
• D. A Unitary System in the States

Answer: (A)

The main idea Madison communicates is that the new government under the Constitution is a republican system with a federal structure. He shows that sovereignty is exercised through elected representatives and that authority is shared between a national government and the states, creating a balance rather than concentrating power in one place. This “federal republic” design stands apart from a monarchy (no hereditary rule), a confederal arrangement (which the Articles had, with a weak central government and strong state sovereignty), or a unitary system (where the central government holds supreme power and states are subordinate). By blending republican principles with a division of powers between national and state governments, the Constitution creates a government that is both representative and limited, reflecting the system Madison describes.