--- title: "Federalist No. 70 — AP Gov Definition & Exam Guide" description: "Federalist No. 70 is Hamilton's argument for a single, energetic executive. It's a required AP Gov foundational document that anchors Topic 2.6 on presidential power." canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-gov/key-terms/federalist-no-70" type: "key-term" subject: "AP US Government" unit: "Unit 2" --- # Federalist No. 70 — AP Gov Definition & Exam Guide ## Definition Federalist No. 70 is Alexander Hamilton's essay arguing for a single, energetic executive, claiming a strong president is essential to protect against foreign attacks, steadily administer the laws, protect property, and secure liberty. It's a required foundational document tested in AP Gov Topic 2.6. ## What It Is Federalist No. 70 is [Alexander Hamilton](/ap-gov/key-terms/alexander-hamilton "fv-autolink")'s case for putting [executive power](/ap-gov/key-terms/executive-power "fv-autolink") in the hands of **one person**. Writing to convince Americans to ratify the Constitution, Hamilton argued that "energy in the executive" is not a threat to good government but a requirement for it. A strong executive, he wrote, is "essential to the protection of the country against foreign attacks, to the steady administration of the laws, to the protection of property, and to the security of liberty." His core target was the idea of a **plural executive**, meaning a council or committee sharing presidential power. Hamilton said a plural executive would create constant disagreement, slow the government down in emergencies, and make it impossible to know who to blame when things go wrong. A single [president](/ap-gov/unit-1/principles-american-government/study-guide/BXlQvFOiaKwhntWYhgKP "fv-autolink") gives you decisiveness, secrecy when needed, speed, and clear accountability. One person holds the office, so one person answers for it. This logic is the founding-era justification that modern presidents still lean on when they defend expansive uses of power. ## Why It Matters Federalist No. 70 lives in **[Unit 2](/ap-gov/unit-2 "fv-autolink") (Interactions Among Branches of Government), Topic 2.6: Expansion of Presidential Power**, and it directly supports learning objective **2.6.A**, which asks you to explain how presidents have interpreted and justified their use of formal and informal powers. Hamilton's essay is the original justification. When a modern president issues [executive orders](/ap-gov/key-terms/executive-orders "fv-autolink"), signs executive agreements, or claims broad authority in a crisis, the argument traces back to Hamilton's "energetic executive." It also matters because it's one of the **nine required foundational documents** for [AP Gov](/ap-gov "fv-autolink"), which means it's fair game on multiple choice and on the Argument Essay (FRQ 4). The CED frames presidential power as an ongoing debate, from limited to expansive interpretations, and Federalist No. 70 is your go-to evidence for the expansive side. The Twenty-Second Amendment, which capped presidents at two terms, is the counterweight showing later Americans worried Hamilton's energetic executive had gotten too energetic. ## Connections ### Unitary Executive Theory (Unit 2) Unitary executive theory is basically Federalist No. 70 taken to its modern conclusion. If executive power belongs to one person, the argument goes, then the president controls the entire [executive branch](/ap-gov/key-terms/executive-branch "fv-autolink") and Congress can't carve pieces away. Modern presidents cite this logic when defending broad authority. ### [Executive Orders (Unit 2)](/ap-gov/key-terms/executive-orders) Executive orders are Hamilton's "steady administration of the laws" in action. A single president can direct [the bureaucracy](/ap-gov/unit-2/bureaucracy/study-guide/Ry6mEWFp4DgDQfXDswZU "fv-autolink") quickly without waiting for Congress, which is exactly the kind of energy and dispatch Federalist No. 70 said only one executive could provide. ### [Checks and Balances (Unit 1)](/ap-gov/key-terms/checks-and-balances) Federalist No. 70 creates the tension that checks and balances has to manage. Hamilton wanted an executive strong enough to act decisively, while the broader constitutional design (laid out in Federalist No. 51) makes sure Congress and the courts can still rein that executive in. ### Foreign Policy and Executive Agreements (Unit 2) Hamilton's claim that a single executive protects against foreign attacks explains why presidential power grew fastest in foreign affairs. Executive agreements let presidents make international deals without Senate ratification, a modern extension of the speed and secrecy Hamilton praised. ## On the AP Exam As a required foundational document, Federalist No. 70 shows up two main ways. On **multiple choice**, expect quote-based or application questions. You might be asked which constitutional principle Hamilton's argument challenges, which modern presidential power reflects "steady administration of the laws," or why Hamilton thought a plural executive would weaken national defense. You need to know his actual reasoning, not just the title. On **FRQs**, it's prime Argument Essay material. The 2024 Argument Essay asked whether the president or Congress should have more power over domestic policy making, and Federalist No. 70 is exactly the foundational document you'd cite to argue for presidential power (with Federalist No. 51 or the Twenty-Second Amendment as evidence for limits or a rebuttal). To earn the evidence point, do more than name-drop it. Explain Hamilton's reasoning (single executive means energy, decisiveness, and accountability) and tie it to your thesis. ## Federalist No. 70 vs Federalist No. 51 Both are required Federalist Papers, so the numbers blur together fast. Federalist No. 70 (Hamilton) argues FOR concentrated power in a single, energetic executive. Federalist No. 51 (Madison) argues for SPREADING power through separation of powers and checks and balances, with the famous line about ambition counteracting ambition. Quick memory hook: 70 is about one strong president, 51 is about keeping everyone in check. On an Argument Essay about presidential power, No. 70 supports the pro-president side while No. 51 often supports the limits side. ## Key Takeaways - Federalist No. 70 is Alexander Hamilton's argument that a single, energetic executive is necessary for good government, not a danger to it. - Hamilton said a strong executive is essential for protecting against foreign attacks, steadily administering the laws, protecting property, and securing liberty, and that exact language can show up on the exam. - Hamilton rejected a plural executive because shared power would cause conflict, slow decisions, and hide who is accountable when things go wrong. - It is one of the nine required foundational documents in AP Gov, mapped to Topic 2.6 and learning objective 2.6.A on how presidents justify their formal and informal powers. - Modern presidents echo Federalist No. 70 when they defend executive orders, executive agreements, and broad crisis powers, while the Twenty-Second Amendment shows the pushback against that expansion. - On the Argument Essay, use Federalist No. 70 as evidence for expansive presidential power and pair it against Federalist No. 51 or the Twenty-Second Amendment for the opposing view. ## FAQs ### What is Federalist No. 70 and what does it argue? Federalist No. 70 is an essay by Alexander Hamilton arguing that the Constitution's single executive is a strength. He claimed one energetic president provides the speed, decisiveness, and accountability needed to defend the country, enforce laws steadily, and protect liberty. ### Is Federalist No. 70 a required document for AP Gov? Yes. It's one of the nine required foundational documents, so you can be tested on it directly in multiple choice and you can cite it as evidence on the Argument Essay (FRQ 4). ### Did Hamilton want a king or unlimited presidential power in Federalist No. 70? No. Hamilton argued for an energetic executive within the Constitution's structure, not a monarch. His point was that a single president is actually MORE accountable than a committee, because the public knows exactly who to blame. Checks like elections and congressional oversight still apply. ### How is Federalist No. 70 different from Federalist No. 51? Federalist No. 70 (Hamilton) defends concentrating executive power in one energetic president. Federalist No. 51 (Madison) defends dividing power through separation of powers and checks and balances. On a presidential power essay, No. 70 typically supports the president's side and No. 51 supports limiting it. ### How does Federalist No. 70 connect to modern presidential power? Presidents use Hamilton's logic to justify executive orders, executive agreements, and expansive foreign policy and emergency powers. It also underlies unitary executive theory. The Twenty-Second Amendment's two-term limit shows the later backlash against that expansion, and the CED treats this as an ongoing debate. ## Related Study Guides - [2.6 Expansion of Presidential Power](/ap-gov/unit-2/expansion-presidential-power/study-guide/IWyXupww9lRxhdZLamNC) ## Structured Data ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"LearningResource","@id":"https://fiveable.me/ap-gov/key-terms/federalist-no-70#resource","name":"Federalist No. 70 — AP Gov Definition & Exam Guide","url":"https://fiveable.me/ap-gov/key-terms/federalist-no-70","learningResourceType":"Concept explainer","educationalLevel":"AP / High School","about":{"@id":"https://fiveable.me/ap-gov/key-terms/federalist-no-70#term"},"audience":{"@type":"EducationalAudience","educationalRole":"student"},"dateModified":"2026-06-11T00:48:25.285Z","isPartOf":{"@type":"Collection","name":"AP US Government Key Terms","url":"https://fiveable.me/ap-gov/key-terms"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Fiveable","url":"https://fiveable.me"}},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","@id":"https://fiveable.me/ap-gov/key-terms/federalist-no-70#term","name":"Federalist No. 70","description":"Federalist No. 70 is Alexander Hamilton's essay arguing for a single, energetic executive, claiming a strong president is essential to protect against foreign attacks, steadily administer the laws, protect property, and secure liberty. It's a required foundational document tested in AP Gov Topic 2.6.","url":"https://fiveable.me/ap-gov/key-terms/federalist-no-70","inDefinedTermSet":{"@type":"DefinedTermSet","name":"AP US Government Key Terms","url":"https://fiveable.me/ap-gov/key-terms"},"educationalAlignment":[{"@type":"AlignmentObject","alignmentType":"educationalSubject","educationalFramework":"AP Course and Exam Description","targetName":"AP Gov Unit 2, Topic 2.6, LO 2.6.A"}]},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What is Federalist No. 70 and what does it argue?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Federalist No. 70 is an essay by Alexander Hamilton arguing that the Constitution's single executive is a strength. He claimed one energetic president provides the speed, decisiveness, and accountability needed to defend the country, enforce laws steadily, and protect liberty."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is Federalist No. 70 a required document for AP Gov?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. It's one of the nine required foundational documents, so you can be tested on it directly in multiple choice and you can cite it as evidence on the Argument Essay (FRQ 4)."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Did Hamilton want a king or unlimited presidential power in Federalist No. 70?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. Hamilton argued for an energetic executive within the Constitution's structure, not a monarch. His point was that a single president is actually MORE accountable than a committee, because the public knows exactly who to blame. Checks like elections and congressional oversight still apply."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How is Federalist No. 70 different from Federalist No. 51?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Federalist No. 70 (Hamilton) defends concentrating executive power in one energetic president. Federalist No. 51 (Madison) defends dividing power through separation of powers and checks and balances. On a presidential power essay, No. 70 typically supports the president's side and No. 51 supports limiting it."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How does Federalist No. 70 connect to modern presidential power?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Presidents use Hamilton's logic to justify executive orders, executive agreements, and expansive foreign policy and emergency powers. It also underlies unitary executive theory. The Twenty-Second Amendment's two-term limit shows the later backlash against that expansion, and the CED treats this as an ongoing debate."}}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"AP US Government","item":"https://fiveable.me/ap-gov"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Key Terms","item":"https://fiveable.me/ap-gov/key-terms"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Unit 2","item":"https://fiveable.me/ap-gov/unit-2"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Federalist No. 70"}]}]} ```