Introduction Alexander Hamilton, born in 1757, was a brilliant political theorist. Despite his poor origins, he was able to use his intelligence to raise his rank in the colonies and contribute to the founding of the United States of America. Hamilton’s role as an immigrant and soldier both helped him reach his ambition and mature the ideas he would later be famous for. His life experiences influenced his beliefs to push for a strong central government.
Influential Events in Life Born to a father who was occasionally employed as a clerk and a mother who died when he was eleven, Hamilton grew up in poverty and was left to take care of himself. His childhood led to his pessimistic views on humankind and his obsession with the concept of nobility. As a result, he strived to improve himself socially and economically, eventually leading to his immigration to the colonies. His immigration to New York caused him to be detached from the states’ rivalries and resentments. For example, he changed the location of the capital from New York, which would have been better for his state, to a location along the Potomac River in order to gain backing for his financial plan for the federal government’s assumption of state debts. In addition, although New York already paid its debts, Hamilton still created the financial plan in order to strengthen the United States. Hamilton cared more for his country than for his state, allowing him to make purposeful decisions that helped produce the
Alexander Hamilton was the most interesting figure in the American Revolution because he contributed many ideas that formed the America that we live in today. He was on on January 11, 1755. He started working at the age of 11 due to a rough childhood and history of father figures in his life. His mother was left twice by her husband and Alexanders’ father. They had no money and no other family so Alexander worked to support them both. His first job was working as a clerk in an accounting firm. His hard work inspired his boss and helped send him to get an education. When he was just 17, he wrote his first political article that sparked popularity for him. As the Revolutionary War started he enrolled and was made George Washington’s
Hamilton married a young lady by the name of Elizabeth Schuyler; she was the daughter of a general. This put Alexander Hamilton in the middle of New York’s politics. In 1782, Hamilton was elected to the Continental Congress. As Alexander Hamilton’s political career began to get under way, things seem to be going as planned. He played a major role in the constitution. He was one of America's first Constitutional lawyers, and wrote most of the Federalist Papers, a primary source for Constitutional interpretation. He was perhaps the best lawyer in America at the time of his death and his views were remarkably consistent and coherent. He also had a clear vision of the new nation and believed that it could learn much from British economic policy and governmental practice.
George Washington had recognized Hamilton’s leadership abilities and promoted him as Lieutenant Colonel. He was also an innovator of military design, where he designed reports on the defects and how there could be improvement in the military. While Hamilton was working as an adviser for Washington, Hamilton had come to realize the Congress' weaknesses, including jealousy between states, which he believed came from the Articles of Confederation (http://www.ushistory.org/). In 1782, Hamilton was convinced that establishing a strong central government was the key to achieving America’s independence.
During the Revolutionary War, he served as General Washington’s right hand man, writing Congress for supplies and convincing more people to help with the war effort. At the time he was only twenty-two. After the war he went back to New York and practiced law, quickly rising in status and influence. As it was decided that this country could not be sustained under the Articles of Confederation, the Continental Congress was formed, to which Hamilton was elected the New York junior delegate. “In 1786 he played the leading role in the convention at Annapolis, which prepared the way for the great Constitutional Convention that met at Philadelphia in 1787” (Rodger). His ideas and words were powerful among the framers of the Constitution. Even after the Constitution was written people were not sure if this document truly created the government they wanted. Without Hamilton’s brilliant turn of phrase, the US Constitution as we know it may never have been ratified. Hamilton led James Madison and John Jay in writing the Federalist papers defending the document to the public, writing fifty-one of the eighty-five essays himself. “He [was also] leader of the Federalist Party until his death,” a party that was created to form the style of government that still rules this country today; a system
Did Alexander Hamilton play as important a role in our founding as history portrays? This short paper on Alexander Hamilton will outline his importance in the journey of the United States of America to become a free country and will also show the various ways he made this country successful by pioneering the formation of the American government.
Before the Revolutionary War had occurred, many people were coming to the new colonies to start a new life; one of the people was Alexander Hamilton. He had come to the colonies after impressing people in the Caribbean and who then sent him to America to get a better education (“Alexander Hamilton”). Hamilton was an important figure in American history, but very few today remember who he was and what he did. Alexander Hamilton took a stand against traditional government by writing against and battling the British, fighting for the new U.S. Treasury, and arguing for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
Alexander Hamilton (born 1755 or 1757, died 1804) was perhaps the original American self-made man, an immigrant who rose from poverty to help establish the foundations of the United States. This Founding Father fought in the American Revolutionary War, was a leading voice in the [Constitutional](/history/us/documents/constitution/) Convention, co-wrote the Federalist Papers with [James Madison](/history/us/pres/madison/) and John Jay, and established a strong national banking system as the first US Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton’s life was cut short in a duel with Aaron Burr, a former friend.
Few Americans are aware of the profound impact Alexander Hamilton had on our nation’s development with his creation of multiple, important institutions. Hamilton, a true Founding Father of our nation, is primarily accountable for the design and establishment of Federal institutions, especially for the financial system which helped form the states into a nation. These creations of his helped put this nation on its path toward an industrial economy. Hamilton wanted a manufacturing economy founded on financial principles. He played a key role in shaping President George Washington’s foreign policy based on American self-interest.
When Hamilton and the other nineteen Federalist delegates were outnumbered against a group of forty seven Anti-Federalists he worked over the next months to ratify the decision. He worked every day and every hour, going at the Anti-Federalists until the Constitution was approved. Hamilton saved the Constitution and did not leave what he started. Hamilton became the Treasury secretary and built the economic system that helped the new nation to grow. Hamilton also worked hard to solve problems revolving around the Continental Army which had been at a pause by the Continental Congress' inability to collect taxes. War was mostly funded by bonds and they couldn’t pay the debts, so he proposed that the government establish taxation on
He was appointed Washington’s first Secretary of Treasury and the one who led the Federalist party. He himself had just as much ideas circulating as Jefferson. For example, Hamilton believed that we should have a strong central government that was controlled by the elites (wealthy). Another opposing belief was that America should be a society of manufacturing and shipping (basically anything industrial). One thing that was attached to Hamilton’s views was that America should have a national government. The reason he said this was because he thought that this bank could be created based on the Elastic Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The national bank was to be done so that the country could manage its money
Alexander Hamilton was the Secretary of Treasury in George Washington’s Cabinet. One of his many jobs was to handle finances of the new country. He had a lot of experience with money before he was picked for this position. When Alex Hamilton was Secretary of Treasury he had many jobs but the main job was handling the U.S. finances. Inside this job were little jobs such as refinancing debt, proposing new ideas to handle the country’s money, making new forms of currency, figuring out ways to transport money, and collected taxes.
Alexander Hamilton, recognized as one of the Founding Fathers of our country, had a great impact on the wars and political issues of his time. He presented himself as a well respected man and proved himself worthy of the tasks he was given. He impressed many people and played a substantial part in influencing where America stands today. Although his early childhood circumstances were difficult, putting him at a disadvantage, Alexander proved himself capable of achieving success all on his own, without the need of others’ assistance or provision. His efforts ultimately played a significant role in the founding of America.
Hamilton’s somewhat poor childhood caused him to become a devoted adult that led him to come into Georg Washington’s view. This along with his achievements led him to be the first Secretary of Treasurer. This allowed him to influence the economic direction of the newly developing country. Some thought his economic plan as one that was going lead the country into the wrong direction. Thomas Jefferson was one of the main opponents to the ideas Hamilton had for the country especially his economic plan and foreign affairs. This lead to a separation in the government that led to the two party’s political system we still see today.
Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 in Charlestown, Nevis, in British West Indies. While working at a shipping company in Nevis, he gained recognition from local contributors who offered him a formal education. This led to Hamilton coming to New York at the age of seventeen (1772) to earn an education at Kings University, which is now Columbia University. During his college career, Hamilton caught an interest in American politics, specifically, the American Patriots. Eventually, he became a huge supporter of the patriots’ revolutionary movement against pro-British loyalists. Hamilton educated himself on the revolutionary movement enough to write political articles that legitimized revolutionary actions. These articles caught the attention of many people and political
Alexander Hamilton was a founding father who defied all odds and became George Washington’s aide, a Revolutionary hero, a defying abolitionist, a congressman, the first Secretary of the Treasury and the founder of America’s banking system. Second, Alexander Hamilton embodies the American dream and shows a young man’s journey to success. The American dream is the “dream of a land in which life should be better, richer and fuller for everyone, with equal opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” In his adolescence Alexander dreamt of fame and far away glory. This is evident in one of his surviving letters in which he writes to a friend of his dreams and aspirations and “conclude(s) (by) saying I wish there was a war.” At just