Perhaps Hamilton's greatest contribution to the success of the [[United States]] occurred during his tenure as Washington’s [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Secretary of the Treasury]] from 1789 to 1795. Through a system of tariffs and excise taxes (some of which, as demonstrated by the [[Whiskey Rebellion]], caused a great deal of resentment), Hamilton placed the United States on sound financial footing. While Hamilton disliked taxes, he also realized that they were necessary. Hamilton not only favored close trade ties with [[Great Britain]], the world’s leading commercial power, but he believed that the United States should emulate their economic system. In his Report on Manufactures, Hamilton envisioned the United States as a nation that would reply on manufacturing and commerce in order to become a great power. This (among other things) put him at odds with [[Thomas Jefferson]], who envisioned the United States as an agrarian republic. | Perhaps Hamilton's greatest contribution to the success of the [[United States]] occurred during his tenure as Washington’s [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Secretary of the Treasury]] from 1789 to 1795. Through a system of tariffs and excise taxes (some of which, as demonstrated by the [[Whiskey Rebellion]], caused a great deal of resentment), Hamilton placed the United States on sound financial footing. While Hamilton disliked taxes, he also realized that they were necessary. Hamilton not only favored close trade ties with [[Great Britain]], the world’s leading commercial power, but he believed that the United States should emulate their economic system. In his Report on Manufactures, Hamilton envisioned the United States as a nation that would reply on manufacturing and commerce in order to become a great power. This (among other things) put him at odds with [[Thomas Jefferson]], who envisioned the United States as an agrarian republic. |