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Introduction
Introduction
Alexander Hamilton was a key figure in the history of the United States. The Founding Father was born on January 11, 1755 or 1757, in Nevis, British West Indies. Hamilton grew up poor and started working at age 11. He migrated to the American Colonies in 1772, still poor yet ambitious, and enrolled at King's College. His studies were interrupted, due to the American Revolution. He was a voice in the Boston Tea Party and was a strong soldier during the American Revolution, fighting alongside George Washington. He married Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton in 1780. He is most known for being a main author of the Federalists Papers. Hamilton advocated for a strong central government for the new nation and these papers helped convince the public in New York to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Eventually, Hamilton was selected by Washington to be the first Secretary of Treasury of the United States (1789-95). Throughout his life, Hamilton played a prominent role in the formation of the new nation.
Role in the American Revolution
Role in the American Revolution
Hamilton’s first step in becoming a notable figure was his role in the American Revolution. He joined the Continental Army in 1776. According to the American Revolution Institute, he used his critical and strategic thinking which helped in major battles such as Trenton, White Plains, and Princeton. Hamilton showed his ability to be a strong soldier by displaying his bravery in leading attacks and crossing rivers such as the Raritan River. He also led an attack at the Siege of Yorktown. He became George Washington’s principal aide-de-camp (a military officer acting as a confidential assistant to a senior officer) in 1777. Through serving for the new nation, and escaping Britain’s rule, Hamilton was convinced the nation needed a strong central government.
Importance of the Constitutional Convention
Importance of the Constitutional Convention
After the American Revolution, the newly formed United States with thirteen states began to crumble under the Articles of Confederation. This called for the delegates to form a meeting, trying to find a solution to the problems, and even redrafting the Constitution. Hamilton served as one of the three delegates from New York. He spent his time critically thinking about how to fix the problems. Since he worked closely with Washington, he had seen the difficulties the nation was facing and spent time studying ideas and modeling strategies from other successful governments. Hamilton was later appointed to the Congress of the Confederation in 1782, and served until 1783. During the Constitutional Convention, Hamilton did not play a huge part in writing, but helped outline the rules and writing style. After the convention, Hamilton helped write the Constitution with James Madison, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and Thomas Jefferson. Overall, Hamilton was an essential part in figuring out a strong foundation in which the nation would follow.
The Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers
Following the creation of the Constitution, Hamilton helped convince New Yorkers that it would help the nation become more effective and stable. Evidently, not everyone was on board with the new Constitution. The Federalist papers were to be published in New York newspapers, convincing the ratification. There were 85 essays to be written and Hamilton wrote 51. The essays were published but saw limited circulation. The papers in New York were not fully efficient in persuading the majority. But, even though the papers were not entirely effective, they still demonstrated the determination in creating a stronger government, and the Constitution was ratified on September 17, 1787.
The First Secretary of the Treasury
The First Secretary of the Treasury
When George Washington became President, he chose Hamilton to be the Secretary of the Treasury. So, from 1789-1795, Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury. The Library of Congress explained that Hamilton was part responsible for creating our modern banking system and establishing the federal budget process. While he was the Secretary, he wrote several influential works, like the Report on Public Credit, Report on a National Bank, and his Report on Manufactures. The new bank he created offered paper currency and was used to pay taxes and debts owed to the Federal Government. Generally, Hamilton was influential in his time as the Secretary of the Treasury, pushing the nation forward economically.
Conclusion
Conclusion
In the end, after George Washington and John Adams presidencies, Thomas Jefferson became the President and Aaron Burr as his Vice President. Burr ran for governor of New York, rather than continuing his role. Hamilton and his allies prevented Burr from becoming governor because of their opposing political opinions. He also campaigned against him, and urged allies to support Thomas Jefferson, leading to Aaron Burr not becoming President. After their political rivalry, the two ended up in a duel, where Hamilton ultimately died on the end of Burr’s gun. Alexander Hamilton passed away on July 12, 1804 in New York, New York. Overall, Alexander Hamilton was a significant figure in the development of the young nation. Being an immigrant, he brought a different perspective in situations compared to the other Founding Fathers. He is important because of his role in advocating for the strong central government that is still active today. With this knowledge, individuals can be influenced to fight for rights and new ideas that could ultimately better the nation.
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Alexander Hamilton. George Washington’s Mount Vernon. (n.d.). https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/alexander-hamilton
How To Take Over the World. (2024, June 13). The rise of Alexander Hamilton (part 1). Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rise-of-alexander-hamilton-part-1/id1333158713?i=1000658954388
Miranda, L. M. (n.d.). Watch Hamilton | Disney+. https://www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-c650c255-9eb6-47f1-88f8-5916568a58b3
Romero, L. (2018). Alexander Hamilton. National Geographic.
The People Profiles. (2023, July 4). Hamilton - The Fighting Founding Father Documentary. YouTube. https://youtu.be/MMz0vFglvA0?si=B0EcVhD2w63NJ814
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). Alexander Hamilton (U.S. National Park Service). National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/alexander-hamilton.htm
References
References
A&E Television Networks. (2025, February 27). Federalist papers: Summary, authors & impact. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/federalist-papers
Alexander Hamilton (1789-1795). U.S. Department of the Treasury. (2020, December 9). https://home.treasury.gov/about/history/prior-secretaries/alexander-hamilton-1789-1795
Alexander Hamilton’s American Revolution. The American Revolution Institute. (2019, January 8). https://www.americanrevolutioninstitute.org/exhibition/alexander-hamiltons-american-revolution/#:~:text=Hamilton%20served%20as%20aide%2Dde,Click%20for%20a%20larger%20view
DeConde, A. (2025, May 9). Alexander Hamilton. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-Hamilton-United-States-statesman
Public Broadcasting Service. (n.d.-b). Hamilton and the U.S. Constitution. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/duel-hamilton-and-us-constitution/#:~:text=In%20the%20first%20of%20the,York%20ratifying%20convention%20in%20Albany
Research guides: This Month in business history: Alexander Hamilton, First secretary of the Treasury born. Alexander Hamilton, First Secretary of the Treasury Born - This Month in Business History - Research Guides at Library of Congress. (n.d.). https://guides.loc.gov/this-month-in-business-history/january/alexander-hamilton#:~:text=As%20Secretary%20of%20the%20Treasury,Bank%20of%20the%20United%20States
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