Sources
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-Hamilton
Britannica is a highly authoritative source for biographical information. This page provides comprehensive details about Alexander Hamilton's early life, career, and contributions, including his role as the first Secretary of the Treasury and his involvement in the Federalist Papers. - https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/alexander-hamilton/
Mount Vernon's digital encyclopedia is a reliable source for historical figures associated with George Washington. This page details Hamilton's relationship with Washington, his role during the Revolutionary War, and his later political career. - https://www.treasury.gov/about/history/Pages/ahamilton.aspx
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's official website provides authoritative information on Hamilton's tenure as the first Secretary of the Treasury, including his economic policies and contributions to the nation's financial system. - https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed.asp
The Avalon Project by Yale Law School offers the full text of the Federalist Papers, which Hamilton co-authored. This source is essential for verifying his contributions to the Federalist Papers and their role in the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. - https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/alexander-hamilton
History.com is a reputable source for historical information. This page covers Hamilton's early life, his role in the Revolutionary War, his political career, and his infamous duel with Aaron Burr, providing a well-rounded overview of his life.
Key Points
- Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 (or 1757) in the West Indies to Rachel Faucette Buck.
- After his mother's death at age 11, Hamilton became an orphan and started working as a clerk at a general store at age 12.
- Hamilton gained recognition for his writing skills after his letter about a hurricane was published in the Royal Danish American Gazette in 1772.
- He left college in 1775 to join the Revolutionary War and later became George Washington's aide-de-camp in 1777.
- Post-war, Hamilton became a lawyer and highlighted flaws in the Articles of Confederation, advocating for a new constitution with three balanced branches of government.
- Hamilton authored 51 of the 85 Federalist Papers, which were instrumental in persuading the public and government to ratify the new constitution.
- He was appointed the first Secretary of the Treasury by George Washington and played a key role in revamping the U.S. economy.
- Hamilton resigned as Secretary of the Treasury in 1795 to focus on his law career but remained politically active.
- In 1804, Hamilton helped Thomas Jefferson secure the presidency over Aaron Burr, leading to a feud between Hamilton and Burr.
- Alexander Hamilton was killed by Aaron Burr in a duel in New Jersey in 1804.
Summary
Alexander Hamilton, a founding father and the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, rose from a challenging childhood in the West Indies to become a key figure in American politics. His intellect and writings, including the Federalist Papers, helped shape the U.S. Constitution, and he played a crucial role in stabilizing the nation's economy under George Washington. Hamilton's life ended tragically in 1804 when he was killed in a duel by political rival Aaron Burr.
Early Life
Besides being a founding father, lawyer, and soldier, Alexander Hamilton was the first state secretary of the treasury of the United States. Most sources say he was born on January 11th, 1755. However, other sources say he was born on January 11th, 1757. He was born in the West Indies to his mother, Rachel Faucette Buck.
Hamilton lived with his mom and his brother, though unfortunately, at age 11, his mom died. Consequently, Alexander and his brother became orphans because their father and mother lived apart. Due to this unfortunate circumstance, Hamilton had to find a job to help him survive, and at age 12, he became a clerk at a general store that dealt with import and export trade.
He had a keen intellect and loved writing, and in 1772, he wrote a letter about the Hurricane that wrecked the West Indies. His letter was excellent, and it got published in the Royal Danish American Gazette. He became a notable figure due to his brilliant writings, and in 1773, he was sponsored to school at King’s College.
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Time During The War
When the revolutionary war between Britain and Americans began in 1775, Alexander Hamilton had to ditch college to serve his nation. In 1777, the intellect of Alexander Hamilton landed him favor in the eyes of George Washington, who employed Alexander Hamilton to be his aide-de-camp.
After the war had ended in 1783, Hamilton became a lawyer and joined Congress. During his tenure, he highlighted the loopholes in the Articles of Confederation and proposed a constitution that had three arms of government and balanced power between each branch of government.
Alexander Hamilton wrote 51 of the 85 Federalist Papers, which were widely published in newspapers. The Federalist Papers aimed to persuade the people and the then government to ratify the proposed new constitution. He was one of 39 men who signed the constitution.
Assisting America’s First President
When George Washington became the first president of the United States of America, he elected Alexander Hamilton as the Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton proceeded to provide the framework of how to run the national economy.
Hamilton revamped the US economy from most of its debts during his tenure, and in 1795, he stepped down as the Secretary of the Treasury to focus on his law career. Nevertheless, he was still involved in politics.
In 1804, Thomas Jefferson decided to stand for the presidency. He consulted his friend Hamilton, who helped Jefferson secure a victory over the former vice president, Aaron Burr. This led to a heated feud between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. In 1804, Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in New Jersey.
