Can you vision someone who once lived as a penniless, squalid orphan abruptly grow up to become America’s greatest scholar? Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers and a hero of the American Revolution, had to endure living most of his childhood life as an impoverished orphan and dealt with parental death, abandonment, and constant public humiliations. Though he contemplated that his life wouldn’t get any better, he still proceeded to fend for himself with his legacy and accomplished many successes. In spite of his calamitous childhood, Alexander Hamilton’s remarkable resilience helped him overcome those hardships, creating the American nation as it is today.
Alexander Hamilton was most likely born on January 11, 1757, although the exact year of his birth is unknown. Hamilton was born on the Caribbean island of Nevis or St. Kitts to Rachel Fawcett and James Hamilton, but he spent the majority of his youth on the island of St. Croix. His formal education as a child was minimal. When his mother died in 1768, Hamilton took his
During the 1800’s, there lived a very interesting man. Alexander Hamilton was a well educated man that really got involved in politics and had so many ideas. Hamilton grew up being a moneyless child, that made a new government and helped make America grow. Many did not like Hamilton but many did and he did not really seem to care if people liked him or not. Hamilton had an exotic childhood, striking views on politics, curious ideas for a new developed government, fascinating things in a new government, and a stimulating death.
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.
Alexander Hamilton was born in Charlestown, Nevis, in the West Indies on January 11, 1757 (or 1755), to James Hamilton and Rachel
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.
In the beginning, The Articles of Confederation ruined all sense of a strong central government in the Colonies. The Articles of Confederation gave power to the states to govern themselves, and as we later learned, the idea to give power to the states to govern themselves individually was a very weak idea. Most people who didn’t own land, also known as freeloaders, didn’t have much or any say at all in the government. We needed change, and we needed it quickly. This is where, Alexander Hamilton, comes into play. Not only did he understand that a strong central government was crucial for a nation to succeed, but he had also understood that speaking out about his beliefs were just as important. His assertive and outgoing personality about his beliefs consequently helped him play a key role in the early form of the government.
Everyone has heard the name Alexander Hamilton, but few are familiar with his views and actions regarding the survival of the young American republic. He could be recognized for anything from serving our fledgling country by fighting in the New York militia; to serving his community as a lawyer and as a national tax agent; to beginning his
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.
Alexander Hamilton has taken part in many things , he was killed in a duel because of supporting Jefferson instead of Aaron Burr . He didn’t like the “rough draft “ of the constitution so he redid some parts of it ( i’m not sure what part(s) ) . Hamilton helped with dealing with the money in all of the banks and he also was the first secretary of treasury .
This drew him further into politics as his cases often had a political bend. For example, Hamilton defended the British Loyalists against the rebels after the Revolutionary War. Hamilton was able to use his law career to further his political goals and helped to implement new due process principles during his Rutgers v. Waddington case. One of his ultimate goals remained creating a stronger central government. While serving as a New York delegate at a meeting to discuss the Articles of Confederation, Hamilton was able to further his goal of a new Constitution. He insisted that a powerful central government would need a reliable ongoing source of revenue. Hamilton had a strong influence on getting the newly written Constitution ratified. One way he did this was by writing 51 of the 85 essays called the Federalist Papers. He used these essays to explain and defend the newly drafted constitution prior to its approval. Also, Hamilton convinced the New York delegate and delegates from the remaining 8 states to ratify
There are many characteristics that could impact one’s life in a negative way causing them to lose everything in life such as selfishness, messiness, untrustworthiness, self-righteousness, or ego. In the award-winning musical, Hamilton: The Revolution, by Lin-Manuel-Miranda, the character of protagonist, Alexander Hamilton may be described in many ways. However, one character trait stands out among the rest. The main character trait of Alexander Hamilton, self-righteousness, shaped everything about his life: how he grew up, how he dominated in debates, and even how he fell from grace. Hamilton always stuck by his ideals, not caring whether it affected other people. These traits led him to lose and gain
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
There are many historical sites in New York City that have contributed and still contribute to America’s political history in some way. The historical site that I have decided to expand my research on is, the Hamilton Grange National Memorial located in Harlem, New York. This site was the home of Alexander Hamilton, one of the seven foreign-born Founding Fathers of the United States of America. He had a great influence on the foundation of the United States of America, the United States constitution and the Federalist Party. He was a Military officer, lawyer and member of the US constitutional convention, an American political philosopher, and author of the majority of the Federalist Papers.
To begin with, one of the things that set Hamilton aside from the other delegates on having such a great impact on the creation of the finished document is that he thought in a versatile way; while in the army camps alongside Commander-in-Chief George Washington, he would look over European economist and would write down notes about the European government. With that being said, he developed and proposed the “new government” at the Constitutional Convention which was outlined by the British system; Hamilton