By: Katheryne Lemus
Birth/ Death info
Basic information about Alexander Hamilton is that he was born on January 11, on the islands of Nevis, in the British West Indies. He died on July 12, in Weehawken, New jersey when he was shot by Burr. His hometown was Charlestown and his parents were James Hamilton and Rachel Fawcett.
He was orphaned in 1768, so he had to do stuff on his own and depend on himself, so he took his first job at the tender of age 11. Later, he attended school and was a well educated child. Since then, Hamilton has always been into government things as a young boy. Then, he was recommended to go to America for better education by Hugh Khox. He then enrolled at Kings College in 1773 but left in 1775 without graduating.
Once George Washington became president ,he went to Hamilton and offered him to be his secretary of treasury. After he left college, he decided to be a part of the New York provincial Artillery Company. After wartime, he then became a leading lawyer in New York. He played the biggest role in the first two political parties along with Jefferson. Hamilton was the main author for "The Federalist Papers." He went for the rights of federalists, so he preferred more of a national government. He also argued that the individuals' rights would be protected by the Constitution. He was included in a lot of battles also known as the battles of Long Island, White Plains and Trenton. This battle was a defeat for the Continental Army under general Washington and a beginning of a successful campaign that finally gave the British control of the important city of New York.
On March 14, 1776 21 year old Hamilton was made a captain in the Continental Army. He was involved in the America victory in the Battle of Princeton. After Washington seeing Hamilton's valor and organization, he invited Hamilton to be one of his aides, and he accepted. He was promoted the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Alexander led a victorious charge against the British in the Battle of Yorktown. This battle took place near the seacoast of Virginia and was the last battle of the Revolutionary War. There, general Lord Cornwallis surrendered his army to Washington and Hamilton. Alexander would always be involved in everything, so he also took the case of Rutgers v. Waddington which involved the rights of loyalists in 1784. In 1788, he convinced New Yorkers to agree to ratify the Constitution. He created the first bank of the U.S and served as a delegate to the Annapolis Convention in 1786. This convention was held to discuss some issues of interstate trade.
He was one of the 39 signers of the U.S Constitution .
Authored 51 of the Federalist Papers.
He was a member of the Confederation Congress.
He was appointed major general of the army during the Quasi War.
He married Elisabeth Schuyler.
Alexander Hamilton - Mini Biography