Alexander Hamilton - Biographical Information
Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 (or 1757, the exact date is disputed) on the Caribbean island of Nevis, in the British West Indies. He was an American statesman, lawyer, military leader, and founding father of the United States. As a prominent figure in American political history, Hamilton played a crucial role in shaping the early years of the new nation.
Hamilton's early life was marked by tragedy and hardship. His father, James Hamilton, abandoned the family when Alexander was a young boy, while his mother, Rachel Faucette Lavien, died when he was just 12 years old. Despite these challenges, Hamilton managed to educate himself, learning French, accounting, and other valuable skills. A group of prominent locals on the island recognized his talents and pooled resources to send him to the American colonies in 1772 to further his education.
Once in the colonies, Hamilton attended King's College (now Columbia University) in New York City. However, his studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. In 1775, at the age of 20, Hamilton joined a local militia, and soon after was appointed captain of an artillery company. His military prowess quickly caught the attention of General George Washington, who made Hamilton his aide-de-camp in 1777. Hamilton served in this role for four years, also participating in the decisive Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
After the war, Hamilton studied law and established a legal practice in New York City. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and later the Constitutional Convention, where he was a strong proponent of a strong federal government. He was the principal author of the Federalist Papers, a series of essays that sought to explain and promote the new Constitution to the public.
When George Washington was elected as the first President of the United States, he appointed Hamilton as the nation's first Secretary of the Treasury. In this influential role, Hamilton created the nation's financial system, laying the groundwork for a national bank, establishing public credit, and promoting industrial development.
Although Hamilton never held the nation's highest office, his impact on American government and politics was immense. He founded the Federalist Party, which was one of the two major political parties in the early United States, and was the chief architect of President Washington's economic and financial policies.
Hamilton's life was cut short in a duel with his longtime political rival, Vice President Aaron Burr, on July 11, 1804, in Weehawken, New Jersey. Hamilton was mortally wounded in the confrontation, and he died the following day at the age of 49. Though his life ended tragically, the ideals and principles that Alexander Hamilton fought for continue to shape the United States, even today.