Thinking About History Thursdays

The Misunderstood Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton may be one of the most misunderstood of the Founding Fathers. First off, he really didn't fit the "father" image because he was young and sometimes overly brash. He wasn't even a natural born American (please excuse my lack of political correctness). He was born on the island of Nevis in the West Indies sometime in the mid 1750s (exact records do not exist). His father was of Scottish decent and faced serious debt issues, so was always in Scotland and played little role in Hamilton's life. Although living in poverty, Hamilton proved to be a bright and outgoing young man. Because his father was still legally married to another woman, Alexander was denied entrance to the Anglican school in St. Croix (they had moved there when he was five), so his mother scrapped together enough money to pay for a tutor and Alexander had at his disposal a small library of 32 books left by his father, most of which were classic texts on Greece and Rome.

At age 11 Alexander's mother died, leaving him and his brother orphaned. After doing various odd jobs for a year, Hamilton moved in with Thomas Stevens, a wealthy merchant. Alexander and Steven's son became friends. He clerked for Mr. Stevens and impressed him so much that a fund was set up to eventually send Hamilton to a proper school in New Jersey. He finally landed in 1772 and attended the Elizabethtown Academy. Alexander excelled at everything he did academically and athletically. He was only 20 years old when the Declaration of Independence was signed but proved to be a true patriot.

Hamilton joined a militia unit from New York not long after the Battles for Lexington and Concord in 1775. He fought distinguishably in the New York campaign and the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. Many commanders, including General Nathaniel Greene (the "fighting Quaker"), offered a position as aide-de-camp in their headquarters but Hamilton refused, not wanting to be taken away from combat. He changed his mind, though, when Washington made the same offer and Hamilton accepted. Now a Lieutenant-Colonel, in his new position Hamilton was in contact with other generals and members of Congress. These contacts served him well after the war. Recognizing that Yorktown may be the final battle, Washington released Hamilton of his duties so he could command a brigade of troops in the battle against Cornwallis.

Hamilton resigned his commission after Yorktown and was soon elected as a representative from New York to the Confederation Congress. Over the next five years he grew frustrated with the weakness of the union under the Articles of Confederation and the impotency of the Congress. During this period he became a staunch supporter of a stronger national government and was one of many calling for a convention to draft a new constitution.

Hamilton was one of New York's representatives at the Constitutional Convention. Now in his early thirties he had evolved politically and developed leadership potential. Advocating a strong executive power, Hamilton had much influence on Article II of the Constitution dealing with the Presidency. While some claim that Hamilton wanted a new king, this charge is incorrect. Leading the "federalist" group which supported the new Constitution, Hamilton was one of the authors of the Federalist Papers (along with James Madison and John Jay). He lobbied for acceptance of the document and was eventually rewarded with success.

One of the primary challenges facing the new nation was the issue of debt. Washington selected Hamilton to be Secretary of the Treasury in the first government. This proved to be a wise choice, as Hamilton was not well liked by many but was not afraid to make tough choices. He put forth before Congress a series of proposals called the Hamilton Financial Plan. It essentially called for the creation of a national bank, series of excise taxes, support for manufacturing, and federal assumption of all (including state) debts accrued before the war. Opposition quickly grew, led by Thomas Jefferson, and called themselves the anti-federalists and later the Democratic-Republicans (don't try to equate it with any modern political party).

Even with the opposition, Hamilton's plan was approved, largely because Washington supported it. And in the long run it worked. The textile industry began to take off in the Northeast, the US Bank stabilized the currency, and soon the United States was paying off debt it owed to England, France, and the Netherlands. With a better credit rating other countries began to trade with the new nation and economic prosperity resulted. The feud between Hamilton and Jefferson eventually led to their resignations. Hamilton was then elected to Congress representing New York again.

Hamilton had made many enemies over the years. Some were jealous of his close association with Washington. Others jealous of his way with the ladies. Some were simply intimidated by his intellect. Thus, the fact that he met his demise in a duel is not completely surprising. Aaron Burr was a very jealous individual to begin with and Hamilton became the target of that jealousy. It is not wholly clear whether Burr truly intended to shoot Hamilton or not. It is clear that Hamilton believed that the duel was simply a face saving event in which both men would intentionally miss and then claim and end to their differences. In any case, Burr's gun was loaded and the gunshot proved fatal for Hamilton.

Hamilton's Legacy: He could never have been president since he was not a naturally born citizen. Although popularly associated with the modern Republican Party, Hamilton really was much more Democrat in thought because of his support for a strong and involved central government. He definitely was not a limited government guy. He is an example of the American Dream. He came from poor roots but through hard work, intelligence, and a little luck (particularly his friendship with Washington) he did great things and contributed positively to the creation of this country.

 

Posted with Blogsy