Essays on Alexander Hamilton

Hamilton was born in either 1755 or 1757 on the Caribbean island of Nevis. He was orphaned as a child and taken in by a prosperous merchant. Soon, in his teen age, he was sent to New York to pursue his education.

The Revolutionary War began in 1775, and Hamilton became part of the New York Provincial Artillery Company. In 1777, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the Continental Army. Soon, General George Washington made Hamilton his assistant and trusted adviser. Hamilton left his adviser post in 1782.

After the war, Hamilton studied law and established a practice in New York City. Hamilton served as one of New York's most prominent lawyers in the early 1780s.

In 1787, Hamilton joined the Constitutional Convention. His goal was to form a strong federal government with the Constitution. Hamilton with J.Jay and J.Madison wrote a series of papers called the Federalist Papers. These papers contained 85 essays, that played an important role in the affirmation of the United States Constitution.

In 1789, Hamilton was appointed as the first Secretary of the Treasury when Washington was elected president of the United States. Soon, Hamilton established the First Bank of the United States and established revenue for the government through excise taxes and customs duties. In 1795, he resigned from the Secretary of the Treasury.

The two men met on July 11, 1804. They fought the duel with pistols and Burr's shot hit Hamilton in the body. Hamilton, injured, was brought back to New York City, but he died the next day.

"Those who stand for nothing fall for everything."
"Give all the power to the many, they will oppress the few. Give all the power to the few, they will oppress the many."