Hamilton, the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, had what first name?
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So much more than a musical: 10 cool facts about Alexander Hamilton
America’s history is full of great historical figures, and sometimes it can be hard to keep track of all their accomplishments. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical Hamilton drew the nation’s and even the world’s attention to this Founding Father and his life. From his orphaned childhood to his political rivalries and the institutions he helped create, Alexander Hamilton lived many lives rolled into one. Did you know these ten facts about him?
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He was not allowed to attend school
It was a different time back then, that is for sure. Because Hamilton’s parents were never married, he was barred from attending school. Fortunately, the young Alexander was privately educated and pored over his family’s collection of classics.
Despite being an orphan from an early age (his father abandoned the family when Hamilton was just a boy, and his mother died not long after), Hamilton stayed on course and remained an avid reader throughout his life.
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His writing skills helped him leave the Caribbean
Alexander Hamilton was born on the island of Nevis in the British West Indies. A letter he sent to his father detailing a hurricane that struck Saint Croix was reprinted in the Royal Danish American Gazette due to his remarkable penmanship.
The locals were so impressed by his style that they raised money to send Hamilton to a college in the British North American colonies.
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Self-taught lawyer
Most people would have been happy with their lot in life if they were George Washington’s personal secretary, but not Alexander Hamilton. After resigning from his post, he was able to study law and passed a legal examination within six months in 1782.
He had been reading law on his own in Nevis and at King’s College and had studied with John Jay and William Paterson, two future Supreme Court justices.
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The bulk of the Federalist Papers
Hamilton, along with Madison and Jay, was one of the three authors of The Federalist Papers, which helped secure the Constitution's ratification. Hamilton wrote roughly 51 of the 85 essays, which are still consulted today by scholars and the Supreme Court. However, Hamilton’s authorship of the documents wasn’t made public until after his death in 1804.
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Founded the Treasury Department
When Washington became president, he appointed Hamilton as the first Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton devised a solution to pay off the former colonies’ war debt and then organized the Treasury Department into a powerful unit.
Hamilton also formed the First Bank of the United States and helped convince other nations that the United States was financially stable.
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Inspired the first American political party
Hamilton’s work as Treasury Secretary and his advocacy for a strong central government led to the unofficial formation of the Federalist Party by 1791. And, as often happens when a political party arises, a rival is quickly formed.
In response, leaders like James Madison and Thomas Jefferson created a political faction known as the Democratic-Republicans, which directly opposed Hamilton and his ideas.
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Helped his political rival become President
In the 1800 presidential election, the House of Representatives, controlled by the Federalists, had two Republican candidates to choose from: Jefferson and Aaron Burr. In a private letter to a House member, Hamilton expressed his strong dislike for Burr.
"Mr. Burr loves nothing but himself—thinks of nothing but his own aggrandizement—and will be content with nothing short of permanent power in his own hands. In a choice of Evils, let them take the least—Jefferson is, in my view, less dangerous than Burr."
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Received Washington’s last letter
George Washington, the first president of the United States, sent his last written letter to Hamilton two days before his death on December 14, 1799. In it, Washington (who had been a mentor to Hamilton throughout his political career) praised his apprentice’s idea of establishing a national military academy.
Washington wrote to Hamilton that such an institution would be of "primary importance to the country."
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Founded the New York Post
Hamilton conceived his newspaper, originally called the New York Evening Post, as a megaphone for the anti-Jefferson Federalist Party, which he helped create. Hamilton himself wrote many of The Post’s early editorials.
The newspaper was founded in November 1801, and according to its editor, William Coleman, Hamilton personally wrote many of the editorials.
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His son died in a duel, too
Just like his father, Philip Hamilton also received a mortal wound in a duel. This tragic event occurred three years before Alexander Hamilton’s own demise, under similar circumstances.
Both duels took place in Weehawken, New Jersey. In a cruel twist of fate, Alexander Hamilton even used the same set of pistols as his son.
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