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[[{{Founding Fathers|image:=alexhamilton.jpg|300pxState:=New York|thumb|Alexander Hamilton by Religion:=[[John TrumbullEpiscopalian]], 1792.|Founding Documents:=[[United States Constitution]]}}'''Alexander Hamilton''' (January 11, 1757 - July 12, 1804) was one of the most important, and most [[conservative]] and [[Patriotic|nationalistic]], of the [[Founding Fathers]] of the [[United States]]. After wartime service as chief One of staff to General [[George Washington]]the greatest American intellectuals ever, he Hamilton became a leading lawyer in [[New YorkChristian]]. He called for about a strong new [[constitution]] to replace the weak national government, decade before he was shot and killed in 1788 he wrote half the 'a duel with Aaron Burr.<ref>D'Elia, Donald (1983). [[Federalist Papers]http://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/history/alexander-hamilton-from-caesar-to-christ.html "Alexander Hamilton: From Caesar to Christ"], ch. 6 of '', which mobilized supporters The Spirits of the Constitution and continues to be the single most influential interpretation of [[republicanism]] and what the Constitution means. He was a leading intellectual of his time76'' (Front Royal, and the driving force of the [[Washington DVA: Christendom College Press), p.C87.|Washington]] Administration that shaped the young nation Republished at Catholic Education Resource Center website/Culture/History. </ref>

After wartime service as aide-de-camp to General [[George Washington]], he became a leading lawyer in [[New York]]. He called for a strong new [[constitution]] to replace the weak national government, and in 1788 he wrote half the ''[[Federalist Papers]]'', which mobilized supporters of the Constitution and continues to be the single most influential interpretation of [[republicanism]] and what the Constitution means. He was a leading intellectual of his time and the driving force of the [[Washington D.C.|Washington]] Administration that shaped the young nation.  Hamilton realized that the basis of [[British]] power was its system of centralized [[tax]] collection and its funded [[national debt]] together with its sophisticated [[banking]] structure and its open market in public securities. For a state to wage [[war]] successfully, it had to tax efficiently and borrow cheaply -- to cheaply—to become a powerful nation, America had to follow the British financial example. Hamilton's conclusion horrified [[Thomas Jefferson]] and his followers -- they followers—they saw a deliberate adoption of British methods as an evil corruption -- a corruption—a betrayal of the values of [[Republicanism]] inherent in the [[American Revolution]].

As the nation's first [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Secretary secretary of the Treasury]], Hamilton's far -reaching vision put the United States on an stable financial basis and promoted national unity. His Treasury took over [[state debt]]s as well as [[debts]] owed by the [[Federal government|national government]], and funded them with long-term [[national debt]], which in turn was paid by a new [[tariff]] on imports and a tax on whiskey. He set up the Bank of the United States, a [[central bank]] to make [[liquidity]] in financial markets possible. The nation's business and financial communities for the first time became united in a single [[economy]], and provided critical support for Hamilton. To mobilize that grass-roots support he founded the [[Federalist Party]], which operated in every state. It was the first popular [[political party]] in the world, but soon had competition from the [[Democratic-Republican PartyRepublicans (Jeffersonian)|Republicans]] , a party founded by his great adversary [[Thomas Jefferson]].  In foreign affairs he was a strong supporter of [[Britain]], and the well-balanced British political system. Working closely with [[George Washington]], Hamilton in 1795 secured the critical [[Jay Treaty]] over the intense opposition of Jeffersonians who favored [[France]] in its war with Britain. Despite an embarrassing sex scandal, Hamilton tried to keep control of the Federalist Party while [[John Adams]] was President, and orchestrated the creation of a powerful national army in 1798, which he and Washington were to head. Adams' achievement of peace with France frustrated Hamilton's plans, so he sabotaged Adams' reelection in 1800. Nevertheless , he helped Jefferson become President when it appeared the scoundrel [[Aaron Burr]] might take the office. He was killed by Burr in a duel, and for most of the 19th century was a target of attacks by [[Democrats]] as undemocratic and even pro-[[monarchy]].  By the [[Progressive Era]] after 1900, however, Hamilton's [[patriotism|nationalism]], financial wizardry, and promotion of business and [[banking]] increasingly appealed to [[conservative]]s, who made Hamilton into a hero of their own. Hamilton was one of the great expositors of the American political creed of [[Republicanismrepublicanism]], and set up programs that proved a strong, effective government of the people could be made operational without an [[aristocracy]] or [[monarch]].

Hamilton was born out of wedlock in the British [[British West Indies]]to a mother who had a reputation as the town harlot and a father who was a gambler and who had a wife on another Caribbean island. When he was ten his father left, leaving he, his brother, and his mother alone. At twelve, his mother died while sick, due to fever. Alexander and his brother James would later move in with their older cousing Peter Lytton, but Lytton committed suicide. A prodigyin every sense of the word, he was handling merchant accounts as a teenager, and his essay on a [[hurricane ]] that had hit the town attracted patrons , who paid would later collect a fund to pay his way to the American colonies. Some scholars have argued that Hamilton’s origins can be reflected in his later life, where, unlike much of the Revolutionary generation, his views were more nationalistic, rather than tied to the interests of a particular region or state.  

As a student at King's College (now [[Columbia University]]), Hamilton took a major role in the political debates over independence, writing several papers refuting opponents and activists. Most notably, Hamilton refuted the bishop Samuel Seabury (who wrote under the pen name A. W. Farmer) in a paper titled ''The Farmer Refuted'', published on February 23, 1775.<ref>[http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/hamilton-the-revolutionary-writings-of-alexander-hamilton#lfHamilton_head_008 The Farmer Refuted], ''The Online Library of Liberty''</ref>  Hamilton later raised a company of artillery and was selected captain. Fighting the British invasion of new [[New York City ]] in late 1776, he came to the attention of [[George Washington]], commander Commander-in chief -Chief of the [[Continental Army]]. Washington promoted Hamilton to colonel and made him his senior aide-de-camp — in effect the chief of staff (although that title was not in use). Hamilton had a combat command at in the battle [[Battle of Yorktown that ]], which ended the war in 1781. Hamilton may have alerted General Washington to the existence of the Newburgh Conspiracy, in which disgruntled officers might may have become a threat to civilian government. Washington prevented that.  After the Battle of Yorktown, Hamilton resigned his commission. New York appointed Hamilton to the Congress of the Confederation for the term beginning in November 1782, and appointed him as a delegate to the [[Annapolis Convention]] in 1786. 

Hamilton became a leading lawyer in [[New York City]], and married into the rich and powerful Schuyler family. Along with his close friend [[John Jay]], he was active in anti-[[slavery ]] movements. In 1787, Hamilton was elected to served as assemblyman from New York County in the Continental Congress, the [[New York]] State assembly, and Legislature. He was also chosen by the legislature as a delegate to the [[Philadelphia]] [[Constitutional Convention]] in 1787/ , although he played a minor role in the conventionConvention, along with [[Robert Yates]] and [[John Lansing, Jr.]] Hamilton authored 51 of the 85 ''[[Federalist Papers]],'' while [[James Madison]] and [[John Jay]] composed the others. These essays, published anonymously in [[newspaper]]s in New York and throughout the United States, helped turn popular opinion in favor of ratifying the Constitution, particularly in the decisive states of [[New York]] and [[Virginia]].

Perhaps Hamilton's greatest contribution to the success of the United States occurred during his tenure as Washington’s Secretary of the Treasury from 1789 to 1795. Through a system of tariffs and [[excise taxes tax]]es (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 rely 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 [[agriculture|agrarian ]] republic.  In 1790, Hamilton appointed [[Tench Coxe]] as Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury.<ref>[http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-06-02-0280 Appointment of Tench Coxe as Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury, (10 May 1790)]</ref> ==The Hamilton-Reynolds Affair==In the summer of 1797, Hamilton became the first major American politician publicly involved in an affair. Six years earlier, in the summer of 1791, 34-year-old Hamilton started an affair with 23-year-old Maria Reynolds; according to Hamilton's recount, Maria approached him at his house in Philadelphia, claiming that her husband, James Reynolds, had abandoned her and she wished to return to her relatives in New York but lacked the means. Hamilton retrieved her address and delivered her $30 personally at her boarding house where she led him into her bedroom. The two began an illicit affair that lasted approximately until June 1792. Over the course of that year, James Reynolds was well aware of his wife's unfaithfulness. He continually supported their relationship in order to regularly gain blackmail money from Hamilton. The common practice in the day was for the wronged husband to seek retribution in a pistol duel, but Reynolds, realizing how much Hamilton had to lose if his activity came into public view, insisted on monetary compensation instead; after an initial request of $1,000 to which Hamilton complied, Reynolds invited Hamilton to renew his visits to his wife "as a friend" only to extort forced "loans" after each visit. In the end, the blackmail payments totaled over $1,300 (including the initial extortion). Hamilton, at this point, was probably aware of both Reynoldses' being involved in the blackmail, and welcomed, as well as strictly complied with, Reynolds' request to end the affair. In November 1792, James Reynolds and his associate Jacob Clingman were arrested for counterfeiting and speculating in veteran back wages. Clingman was released on bail and relayed information to James Monroe that Reynolds had evidence that would incriminate Hamilton. Monroe consulted with Congressmen Muhlenberg and Venable on what actions to take and the Congressmen confronted Hamilton on December 15, 1792. Hamilton refuted the suspicions of speculation by exposing his affair with Maria and producing as evidence the letters by both Reynoldses, proving that his payments to James Reynolds related to blackmail over his adultery, and not to treasury misconduct. The trio were to keep the documents privately with the utmost confidence. In the summer of 1797, however, when "notoriously scurrilous journalist" James T. Callender published ''A History of the United States for the Year 1796'', it contained accusations of James Reynolds being an agent of Hamilton, using documents from the confrontation of December 15, 1792. On July 5, 1797, Hamilton wrote to Monroe, Muhlenberg and Venable asking them to confirm that there was nothing that would damage the perception of his integrity while Secretary of Treasury. Muhlenberg and Venable complied with Hamilton's request but Monroe didn't, and after several rounds of argument, the two almost resorted to a duel. When Hamilton did not obtain an explicit response from Monroe, he published a 91-page pamphlet, later usually referred to as the [[The Reynolds Pamphlet|Reynolds Pamphlet]], in order to preserve his public reputation, discussing the affair in exquisite detail. His wife Elizabeth eventually forgave him. 

Hamilton saw the need for political newspapers and subsidized numerous editors, most famously [[Noah Webster]]. In 1801, with $10,000 from investors, Hamilton started the ''[[New-York Evening Post]]''.<ref> It is currently published by [[Rupert Murdoch ]] under the name ''[[New York Post]]''.</ref>

Jefferson repeatedly attacked Hamilton as an enemy of [[American values--and ]]—and Jeffersonians have echoed the criticism over the centuries. Jefferson said he was an enemy of popular government, did not believe in [[republicanism]], admired the British system too much, and even wanted to set up a [[monarchy]]. Since the 1980s scholars have rescued rescue Hamilton from these interpretations and stressed his republicanism, arguing that Jefferson went too far in his attacks. Historians now portray Hamilton as a moderate, mainstream republican. They point to the ''[[Federalist Papers]]'' as a core statement of American values, and also Washington's "[[Farewell Address]]." One debate in the 1790s was whether true republican citizens should have "confidence" in their elected leaders, which was Hamilton's position, or maintain a "vigilant" scrutiny of them, which was Jefferson's. Hamilton stressed confidence in his vision of republican [[citizenship ]] and [[freedom of the press]]. Hamilton's philosophy, argues Martin (2005), is best understood as an energetic, [[elitist ]] reformulation of republicanism.

Hamilton's conception of human nature shaped his political thought. His predominantly and radically liberal conception of human nature was based on [[John Locke]]'s concept of [[liberty]], [[Thomas Hobbes]]'s concept of power, and [[Nicolò Machiavelli]]'s concept of the 'effectual truth.' It thus stressed the necessary relation between self-interest and republican government and entailed the repudiation of classical republican and Christian political ideals. But Hamilton's love of liberty was nonetheless rooted in a sense of classical nobility and Christian [[philanthropy ]] that simultaneously elevated and contradicted his liberalism. The complex relation between liberty, nobility, philanthropy, and power in Hamilton's conception of human nature, in effect, defined his thought and exposed the strengths and weaknesses of his ideology. That complexity formed the spirit of his liberal [[republicanism]].<ref>Michael J. Rosano, "Liberty, Nobility, Philanthropy, and Power in Alexander Hamilton's Conception of Human Nature". ''American Journal of Political Science'' 2003 47(1): 61-74 </ref> In defense of Republicanism, Hamilton authored papers under the pseudonym ''Lucius Crassus''.

Hamilton's long standing rivalry with [[Aaron Burr]] eventually lead to Burr accusing Hamilton of [[slander]]. Hamilton replied that the anti-Burr statements he had made were not slander, but were instead the truth. The resulting argument brought a lifetime of feuding to a head in the form of a duel. The duel took place on the 11th of July 1804 at Weehawken, [[New Jersey]]. Hamilton believed that a gentleman shoots over his target, and that honor is served.<ref>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/hamilton/filmmore/pt_2.html</ref> Burr had no such belief. Hamilton shot over Burr's head, but Burr's [[gun]]shot struck its target into Hamilton's body. Hamilton was taken away and after suffering horribly from the wound throughout the night, died the next day. <ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000101 Biography]</ref> Hamilton's son, who was given the same advice by his father that a gentleman shoots over his target, had earlier died in a duel the same way.

At dawn on the morning of July 11, 1804, political antagonists and personal enemies Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr met on the heights of Weehawken, New Jersey, to settle their longstanding differences with a duel. The participants fired their pistols [[pistol]]s in close succession. Burr's shot met its target immediately, fatally wounding Hamilton and leading to his death the following day. Burr escaped unharmed. This tragically extreme incident reflected the depth of animosity aroused by the first emergence of the nation's [[political party ]] system. <ref> [http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul11.html Alexander Hamilton.] </ref>

No figure in [[American history ]] has had so many ups and down, so many champions and detractors as Hamilton over the last two centuries. Historians continue to ask, "Was he a closet [[monarchist ]] or a sincere republican? A victim of partisan [[politics ]] or one of its most active promoters? A lackey for British interests or a [[foreign policy ]] mastermind? An economic genius or a shill for special interests? The father of a vigorous national government or the destroyer of genuine federalism? A defender of governmental authority or a dangerous militarist?"<ref>Ambrose and Martin, ed. ''The Many Faces of Alexander Hamilton'' (2006) p. 11 </ref>  

* Mason, Alpheus Thomas. "The Federalist--A Federalist—A Split Personality," ''American Historical Review'' 57 (1952): 625-43 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-8762(195204)57%3A3%3C625%3ATFSP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Z online at JSTOR]

* Charles, Joseph. "The Jay Treaty: The Origins of the American Party System," in ''William and Mary Quarterly'', (Oct., 1955), pp. 581-630&nbsp;581–630. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1918627 online at JSTOR]

* Coleman, Aaron N. "'A Second Bounaparty?': A Reexamination of Alexander Hamilton during the Franco–American Crisis, 1796–1801," ''Journal of the Early Republic,'' Volume 28, Number 2, Summer 2008, pp. 183-214 &nbsp;183–214 [http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_the_early_republic/v028/28.2.coleman.html in Project Muse]

* ''Federalist Papers''] under the shared pseudonym "Publius" by Alexander Hamilton (c. 52 articles), [[James Madison]] (28 articles) and [[John Jay]] (five articles)

[[Category: Founding Fathers]]

[[Category: United States History]]