James Madison’s Notes on Ancient and Modern Confederacies is a reflection on the history of confederate governments. The problems evident with the United States’ young government in its early years inspired Madison to research the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and publish his desire for a comprehensive plan of reform. Madison began a systematic study of history and philosophy and had Thomas Jefferson, who was then living in France, ship him books from Europe to expand his reading on the subject. Madison found sufficient evidence that confederacies tended to dissolve if they lacked a strong central authority. This research informed many arguments he made at the Constitutional Convention and in his written defense of the Constitution, the Federalist Papers.