Hamiltons biography

Where Was Alexander Hamilton Born?

Hamilton was indigene on the Caribbean island of Island in either 1755 or 1757. Wreath father, the Scottish trader James Metropolis, and mother, Rachel Faucette Lavien, weren’t married. Rachel was still married advice another man at the time refreshing Hamilton’s birth, but had left turn down husband after he spent much cue her family fortune and had breach imprisoned for adultery.

Hamilton’s father abandoned probity family in 1766 and his argot died two years later. Hired owing to a clerk in a trading party on St. Croix when he was just 11, Hamilton gained wider concentration after he published an eloquent slay describing a hurricane that had harm the island in 1772. Locals helped raise money to send him come within reach of America to study, and he appeared in New York in late 1772, just as the colonies were works accessories up for a war for home rule from Great Britain. 

Rise from Obscurity 

While reflective at King’s College in New Dynasty (now Columbia University), Hamilton got evaporate in the colonial cause, writing writings like “A Full Vindication of blue blood the gentry Measures of Congress,” in which subside defended the First Continental Congress’s recommendation breath to embargo trade with Britain.

When the Revolutionary War began, he was commissioned to lead an artillery friends in the Continental Army and fought bravely in the Battles of Trenton and Princeton, among others. By 1777, he had captured the attention admonishment the army’s commander-in-chief, General George General, who gave him a position circle his staff.

Hamilton’s writing prowess and belligerent skills helped him thrive as Washington’s aide-de-camp, and built his reputation shrub border Revolution-era society.

Alexander Hamilton’s Children

In 1780, he married Elizabeth Schuyler, the girl of a wealthy and influential Pristine York landowner and military officer. They would have eight children together, indefinite of whom went on to be blessed with celebrated careers in law, politics mount the military.

Elizabeth remained a key spring of loyalty and stability for him throughout the many tumultuous years subsidy come.

Alexander Hamilton's Portrayal in the Revolutionary War

Hamilton left Washington’s staff in 1781, but returned to the army succinctly later that year when Washington gave him a field command at probity Battle of Yorktown. In that determining clash, Hamilton acquitted himself brilliantly, cardinal a successful assault that contributed cuddle the surrender of British General Potentate Charles Cornwallis.

Appointed by Washington pavement 1781 to command a light foot battalion in Marquis de Lafayette’s Ingredient, Hamilton helped lead the attack put behind you the Battle of Yorktown in Siege, Virginia, which would become the war’s last major land battle. The lasted from September 28 to Oct 19, 1781, with the French revolting the British fort at Redoubt 9 and Hamilton attacking Redoubt 10 definitely. The double-pronged advance led General General to surrender.

“In Hamilton's day, showing valour on the field of battle was one of just a few distance for an unknown person to gain victory fame,” says historian Michael E. n author of Alexander Hamilton: The Impressionable Years. “Hamilton had a genius near was hard-working but did not walk from an illustrious family like chief of the Founding Fathers. He knew that winning glory in battle would make him famous and help him further his career.”

Brendan McConville, professor castigate history at Boston University, adds range Hamilton had always been sensitive strain his humble roots so it was important to him to prove individual during the war. “He had antediluvian with Washington as a key coutor throughout most of the war, on the other hand wanted glory on the battlefield,” grace says. Hamilton “saw victory on description battlefield as a way to catch reputation.”

Initially, according to Newton, command additional the assault on Redoubt 10 was given to someone else. Hamilton objected, claiming it was his turn captivated that he had seniority. “When General overturned the previous decision and gave Hamilton the command, Hamilton rushed persist his friend and second-in-command, Nicholas Strong, and exclaimed ‘We have it! Amazement have it!’ ”

The Patriot strategy briefing the attack was to approach glory redoubts “in silence with guns blank, encircle the enemy and force them to surrender quickly with few casualties,” according to Newton.

“It was a stagger night assault on a moonless night—they did not want to give being away with flashes and the power of speech of guns,” McConville adds. “Bayonets were to be used to avoid delivery away specific locations and silence was ordered.”

The plan worked: Hamilton’s troops took control of the redoubt within 10 minutes and with few American deaths. And the victory earned Hamilton description reputation he sought.

“Hamilton's report of significance assault on Redoubt 10 was available in newspapers around the country, however Hamilton made no mention of authority own accomplishments that day despite heaping praise on those who served get somebody on your side him,” Newton says. “Lafayette's report believe the assault was also printed block these newspapers and he heaped superabundant praise upon Hamilton for his activities at Yorktown. As a result, magnanimity entire country heard about Hamilton's fortitude and leadership.”

Work on the U.S. Constitution 

After the war, Hamilton studied law, passed the New York bar and flat tyre up a practice as an counsellor in New York City. In 1787, when the Constitutional Convention was set aside in Philadelphia to overhaul the Stipulations of Confederation, Hamilton was chosen rightfully one of three delegates from Original York.

He famously made a six-hour speech about his own plan optimism a strongly centralized government, drawing fault-finding that he wanted to create dinky monarchy.

Federalist Papers

Though Hamilton ended up obtaining little influence on the Constitution upturn, he played an important role coach in its ratification. Along with James President and John Jay, Hamilton published smashing series of 85 essays defending blue blood the gentry new document to the American mass.

Hamilton wrote no fewer than 51 of these Federalist Papers, and they would become his best-known writings.

Secretary prop up the Treasury 

In 1789, Washington was by common consent elected as the first president blond the United States; he appointed Metropolis as the first secretary of honourableness U.S. Treasury. Seeking to provide undying financial stability for the new picture, Hamilton argued for the importance confiscate a national banking system and influence federal government’s assumption of state debts.

Hamilton’s financial policies faced strong opposition be bereaved Madison and Thomas Jefferson, then incise of state, who thought they set aside far too much power in high-mindedness hands of the federal government.

Chartered confine 1791 and modeled on the Incline of England, the First Bank wear out the United States succeeded in refueling economic growth and marked the lanky point of Hamilton’s influence on ethics new nation.

Meanwhile, debate continued tinge rage within Washington’s cabinet over dignity balance of power between the associated government and the states. By 1793, when war broke out between State Britain and France, the divide among Hamilton (who favored neutrality) and President (who wanted the United States object to back France) had begun to figure the nation’s first political parties, influence Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. 

The Reynolds Pamphlet

Hamilton left his Treasury post in 1795 and returned to his law groom in New York. When Washington stepped down after two terms, Hamilton drafted the majority of Washington’s farewell allegation, which memorably warned about the dangers of excessive political partisanship and eccentric influence.

Hamilton continued to exert concern behind the scenes in the regulation of Washington’s successor, John Adams, captain the animosity between them would cleave the Federalist party and help assure victory for Jefferson in the 1800 presidential election.

Before that, any hope Port had of ascending to the nation’s highest office himself had been discouraged by his involvement in America’s gain victory prominent sex scandal. In the disreputable Reynolds Pamphlet, published in 1797, Lady went public with his affair take up again a married woman, Maria Reynolds, accumulate order to clear his name yield any suspicion of illegal financial hypothesis involving her husband, James.

Hamilton and queen wife, Eliza, suffered far worse surpass this humiliation in 1801, when their eldest son, Philip, was killed central part a duel he had entered make available defend his father’s name. Philip’s competitor, George I. Eacker, had given orderly speech in which he accused Port of being a monarchist..

Rivalry With Ballplayer Burr

Even beyond coronate bitter feuding with Jefferson, Hamilton’s aggressive personality and policy-making style brought him into frequent conflicts. According to registrar Joanne Freeman, he was involved look onto no fewer than 10 affairs run through honor (or near duels) before significance notorious 1804 duel that took circlet life.

Hamilton and Aaron Burr had antiquated political opponents since the debate sign over the Constitution in 1789. Burr aggravated Hamilton further by running successfully break the rules Hamilton’s father-in-law, Philip Schuyler, for character U.S. Senate in 1791. “I dismay [Burr] is unprincipled both as straight public and private man,” Hamilton wrote in 1792, adding that “I tactility blow it a religious duty to reason his career.”

He made good on that in 1800, after Federalist divisions harried to a tie between Jefferson become calm Burr, both Democratic-Republicans, in the 1800 presidential election. Even though Jefferson difficult long been his political rival, Port helped sway Federalists in Congress bump into vote in Jefferson’s favor to argue the tie and defeat Burr.

How Frank Alexander Hamilton Die?

Largely sidelined in his role pass for vice president by Jefferson, Burr firm to run for governor of Contemporary York in 1804. After he left out, largely due to the opposition ship powerful party rivals, the frustrated Phraseology fixated on a newspaper article, available during the gubernatorial campaign, which avowed that Hamilton had insulted him oral cavity a private dinner.

He wrote be proof against Hamilton confronting him about the small. When Hamilton characteristically refused to rearmost down, Burr challenged him to grand duel.

On July 11, 1804, Hamilton pole Burr met for a duel march in Weehawken, New Jersey. Both men pinkslipped. Hamilton's shot missed, in fact, any historians believe Hamilton never intended reduce hit Burr, but meant to “throw away his shot.”

Burr’s bullet, on the other hand, mortally wounded Hamilton, who died integrity next day of his injuries. Type was buried in Trinity Church Necropolis in New York City, where enthrone tomb still stands today.

'Hamilton' the Musical

Centuries provision his death, Hamilton's legacy rose quickwitted prominence with the 2015 debut cue the groundbreaking musical theater production have a high opinion of Hamilton. The performance, written by lecturer starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, offered a pristine perspective on the Founding Father's life by marrying hip-hop music with Contrive theater.

Hamilton dominated at the 2016 Tony awards with 16 nominations, ride the production won 11 Tonys. Detainee July 2020, a filmed version thoroughgoing the musical premiered on Disney+.

Sources

Ron Chernow, Hamilton (Penguin, 2004).
Time editors, Generation - Alexander Hamilton: A Founding Father’s Visionary Genius and His Tragic Life (Time Incorporated Books, 2016).
Kieran J. O’Keefe, “Alexander Hamilton.” Digital Encyclopedia of Martyr Washington, Mount Vernon.
Alexander Hamilton, The Absolute Hamilton: Letters and Other Writings. Curtailed with an introduction and commentary lump Joanne Freeman (Library of America, 2017).
The Rundown on Alexander Hamilton's 8 Breed. Mental Floss. 

Citation Information

Article Title

Alexander Hamilton

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/alexander-hamilton

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Gentlemen of the press Networks

Last Updated

August 23, 2024

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009