Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton is counted as one of the founding fathers of the United States of America. Extremely vocal and active in politics, his vision of government shaped the American nation as it is today. His legal and political theories guided many of the nation's leading politicians of his time, yet he also attracted a vocal and popular opposition.

Early years

Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755, on the island of Nevis in the British West Indies. He was the son of James and Rachel Hamilton He had a difficult childhood on the neighboring Danish island of Saint Croix. His father abandoned the family when Alexander was ten, and his mother died three years later in 1768.

Hamilton's natural intelligence, ambition, and remarkable business judgment inspired relatives and prominent citizens to send Hamilton to a private school in New Jersey . He later enrolled at King's College (now Columbia University) in 1773. In 1780, Hamilton married Elizabeth Schuyler, the daughter of American Revolution general and New York politician Philip Schuyler (1733–1804). Hamilton was admitted to the bar to practice law in 1782, but he soon turned to politics.

A politician

Hamilton became interested in politics as a student at King's College, where he wrote his first pamphlets defending the colonists’ War of Independence, or the American Revolution (1775–83). These writings

captured the attention of General George Washington (1732–1799). At only twenty-two years of age, Hamilton joined the general's military staff as a lieutenant colonel. He became invaluable to Washington during his four years of service. The relationship they established during this time later enabled Hamilton to pursue politics as a career.

Hamilton supported the cause of the revolution, but he eventually criticized the American government set up in 1781 under the Articles of Confederation (the forerunner to the U.S. Constitution ). He felt government under the articles was weak, and so he encouraged a change.

As one of New York's delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Hamilton proposed an extraordinarily powerful national government, one similar to a monarchy (a government ruled by a single person, such as a king or queen, with absolute power). The Constitution created a more democratic government, but Hamilton supported it. A series of essays he wrote with Virginia politician and future U.S. president James Madison (1751–1836) and Secretary of Foreign Affairs John Jay (1745–1829) proved to be very influential in the state conventions that met to approve the new Constitution. These eighty-five essays, the Federalist Papers, were published in a New York newspaper between October 1787 and May 1788. Credited with writing two-thirds of the essays, Hamilton used them to explain the powers of three branches of government under the proposed Constitution.

America's first secretary of the treasury

George Washington became president in 1789 and named Hamilton to be the first secretary of the treasury. It was a position Hamilton took seriously, and he worked swiftly to establish a strong national economy.

Hamilton believed the federal government should promote a strong economy by bolstering commerce. His belief in the connection between national power and commerce meant he did not limit his involvement to domestic financial policies. Hamilton injected himself into every major decision on financial, domestic, and foreign policy that could help make the United States a commercial powerhouse. To achieve such results, Hamilton interpreted the Constitution to give Congress almost unlimited legislative power. His aggressive policies and elitist politics created enemies among politicians and people who wanted government to be stronger at the state and local levels rather than at the federal level.

Even after retiring from the treasury position in 1795, Hamilton maintained his influence in national politics. He remained an important leader of the Federalist Party , which he had formed, by advising President Washington, President John Adams (1735–1826; served 1797–1801), and various Federalist members of Congress. Hamilton's influence caused problems within President Adams's administration and within the Federalist Party itself. Several important leaders became political opponents of Hamilton, including Adams, President Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826; served 1801–9), and Vice President Aaron Burr (1756–1836).

The duel

Hamilton became an outspoken critic of Burr, a personal and political rival. Burr's politics vacillated, and he held governmental offices as both a Federalist and a Republican (the opposing political party at the time). In 1804, Hamilton criticized a Federalist plan to support Burr for governor of New York. (Burr was not being renominated as vice president.) Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel after Hamilton refused to apologize for scornful remarks he had made. On July 11, 1804, in Weehawken, New Jersey, Burr shot and wounded Hamilton. Hamilton died the next day in New York City.