Thinking About History Thursdays

Aaron Burr

Rarely, oh so very rarely, television commercials do a great service to history teachers. The perfect example is the "Got Milk: Who Shot Alexander Hamilton" commercial. You remember it (unless you are under age 25). The nerdy guy sits in some archivists room surrounded by memorabilia from the famous duel between Hamilton and Aaron Burr. In one corner are the pistols, in another the bullet, on the wall a painting of the event at Weehawken. The radio announcer says, "Now for the ten thousand dollar question. Who shot Alexander Hamilton?" The nerdy fellow grabs the phone, dials, mutters out an unintelligible answer, reaches for the milk, "No!" it's empty, and he doesn't win.

For the first fifteen years of my teaching career every kid knew about the famous duel from that commercial, but now it has disappeared from the airwaves (it is on YouTube though). A great commercial about a fascinating though disturbed individual. Aaron Burr's life is a riches to rags tale. He could have been one of the significant Founders but ended up being accused of treason and finally perished a poor and broken man.

Burr was born and raised in New Jersey before the Revolutionary War. He went to what will become Princeton and got a degree in theology, although he would end up being a lawyer. Coming from a well off and influential family, Burr quickly rose through the ranks of the Continental Army during the war. With Hamilton, he was on General Washington's staff and distinguished himself in battle, being know for his very accurate shooting. Physical impairments, although some historians would argue it was petty jealousies, caused him to resign his commission in 1779. He reentered the field of law and after the war rose in prominence as a New York politician. Burr worked to promote the new Democrat Party in New York which put him at odds with the other prominent politician from New York, Alexander hamilton.

As a reward for his efforts and the fact that he was a northerner, Burr was on the ticket with Jefferson for the presidency, but back then it was not a true political ticket. The plan was for Jefferson to win and Burr come in second (thus being the VP) but instead it was a tie in the Electoral College. Hamilton saw this as an opportunity to undercut Burr, since Hamilton considered Jefferson the lesser of the two evils. Burr became VP but was not happy. He did not particularly like Jefferson and the feeling was mutual. Burr ran for the New York governorship in 1804 but lost. He blamed Hamilton for the defeat.

The relationship between Hamilton and Burr deteriorated badly during the spring of 1804. It reached a point where Burr demanded satisfaction through a duel. Although dueling was technically illegal, the law was often ignored. Hamilton reluctantly agreed, believing that they would follow standard protocol and both miss thus maintaining the integrity of the duel, saving face, and keeping their lives. Both were skilled shooters, so playing out the charade would have been easy. It didn't turn out so well. Hamilton fired and intentionally missed Burr. Burr fired back and his shot struck Hamilton, causing a fatal wound. It is unclear if Burr intentionally killed Hamilton but accounts from friends and family from that year describe a man obsessed with power, feelings of betrayal, and sheer anger.

Surprisingly, Burr was kept on as VP and not much results legally. Burr's reputation though was destroyed. He became the most hated man in Washington D.C. Unhappy, Burr finally resigned and left the capitol. The story doesn't end though. Burr got caught up in a scheme to foment a war between Spain and the United States. He met secretly with representatives from Spain and England. Spain wanted New Orleans and England wanted revenge from its loss during the Revolution. The plan fell apart when a unit from the US Army showed up. Burr was captured and put on trial for treason. He was acquitted because no actual action stemmed from the planning. Chief Justice Marshall argued that the mere talk about and planning for any insurrection was not technically a treasonous act. Jefferson wanted it all to just go away, so there was little assistance from the White House and in fact Jefferson used executive privilege to impede the prosecutions case (ie. Nixon and Watergate). Burr was released and he left the country.

Burr bounced around Europe for a few years poor and destitute. He tried to enlist with Napoleon's Army but was rejected. The last of his savings disappeared. Finally in 1812 (war had just begun between America and England) he returned to the US and resumed his law practice. Few offered him cases. He remarried in 1833 but soon sought a divorce when he realized his new bride was running out of her inheritance money. Burr died not long after--poor, destitute, and a pariah in American History.

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