Alexander Hamilton
Early life
Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755, in Charlestown, Nevis, in the British West Indies. His father, James Hamilton, was a Scottish trader, and his mother, Rachel Faucett Lavien, was of French Huguenot and British descent. Hamilton's parents were not married, and he and his older brother, James Jr., were considered illegitimate under British law.
Hamilton's early life in the Caribbean was marked by hardship and uncertainty. His father abandoned the family when Hamilton was a young boy, and his mother died of yellow fever in 1768, leaving him orphaned. He was taken in by a local merchant, Thomas Stevens, who may have been his biological father.
Education
Despite his difficult childhood, Hamilton showed an early aptitude for learning. He was largely self-educated until the age of 15, when local businessmen, impressed by his intelligence and ambition, raised funds to send him to North America for formal education. He attended grammar school in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, before enrolling at King's College (now Columbia University) in New York City in 1773.
While at King's College, Hamilton became increasingly involved in the political unrest that would lead to the American Revolution. He wrote several widely read pamphlets defending the Patriot cause and joined a local militia.
Military career
Hamilton's military career began in earnest with the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. He was commissioned as a captain in the New York Provincial Company of Artillery in 1776 and fought in the early battles of the war. His bravery and leadership caught the attention of General George Washington, who made him his aide-de-camp in 1777.
Hamilton served in this capacity for four years, acting as Washington's chief staff officer. He was involved in the planning and execution of major military operations and was a trusted advisor to Washington. In 1781, he led a successful assault on Redoubt 10 during the Siege of Yorktown, which proved to be a decisive victory for the American forces and effectively ended the war.
Political career
After the war, Hamilton returned to New York and began his political career. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1782 and was a major proponent of a stronger central government. He played a key role in the drafting and ratification of the United States Constitution and wrote 51 of the 85 essays that make up the Federalist Papers, which were instrumental in securing support for the new constitution.
In 1789, Hamilton was appointed the first Secretary of the Treasury by President Washington. In this role, he implemented a series of financial reforms that laid the groundwork for the modern American economy. These included the establishment of a national bank, the assumption of state debts by the federal government, and the creation of a system of tariffs and excise taxes.
Death and legacy
Hamilton's political career was marked by controversy and personal scandal. He was involved in a number of public feuds with other political figures, most notably Aaron Burr, who he accused of political corruption. This culminated in a duel on July 11, 1804, in which Hamilton was fatally wounded. He died the following day.
Despite his controversial life, Hamilton's contributions to the formation of the United States are widely recognized. He is remembered as one of the country's founding fathers and his image appears on the U.S. ten-dollar bill. His life and career have been the subject of numerous books and the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton.
See Also
George Washington American Revolution Federalist Papers United States Constitution Secretary of the Treasury