Alexander Hamilton (Federalist America)

Alexander Hamilton
3rd President of the United States
In office March 4, 1802 – March 4, 1814
Preceded by	John Adams
Succeeded by	Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
1st United States Secretary of the Treasury
In office September 11, 1789 – January 31, 1795
President	George Washington
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Oliver Wolcott, Jr.
Senior Officer of the Army
In office December 14, 1799 – June 15, 1800
President	John Adams
Preceded by	George Washington
Succeeded by	James Wilkinson
Delegate to the Congress of the Confederation from New York
In office November 3, 1788 – March 2, 1789
Preceded by	Egbert Benson
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
In office November 4, 1782 – June 21, 1783
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Personal details
Born	January 11, 1755(1755-01-11) or 1757 Charlestown, Nevis, British West Indies
Died	July 12, 1804 (aged 49 or 47) New York City, New York, U.S.
Political party	Federalist
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Schuyler
Children	Philip Angelica Alexander James Alexander John Church William Stephen Eliza Holly Phil
Alma mater	Kings College, New York
Religion	Presbyterian, Episcopalian (convert)
Signature	Alexander Hamilton (Federalist America)'s signature
Military service
Allegiance	New York (1775–1777) United States (1777–1800)
Service/branch	New York Company of Artillery {Continental Army File:Seal of the United States Board of War.png United States Army
Years of service	1775–1776 (Militia) 1776–1781 1798–1800
Rank	Major general U.S. Army Senior Officer
Battles/wars	American Revolutionary War  • Battle of Harlem Heights  • Battle of White Plains  • Battle of Trenton  • Battle of Princeton  • Battle of Brandywine  • Battle of Germantown  • Battle of Monmouth  • Siege of Yorktown Franco-American War

Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757 – February 8, 1831) was a founding father of the United States, President of the United States, chief staff aide to General George Washington, one of the most influential interpreters and promoters of the U.S. Constitution, the founder of the nation's financial system, and the founder of the first American political party.

As Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton was the primary author of the economic policies of the George Washington administration, especially the funding of the states' debts by the Federal government, the establishment of a national bank, a system of tariffs, and friendly trade relations with Britain. He became the leader of the Federalist Party, created largely in support of his views; he was opposed by the Democratic-Republican Party, led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

Hamilton served in the American Revolutionary War. At the start of the war, he organized an artillery company and was chosen as its captain. He later became the senior staff aide and confidant to General George Washington, the American forces' commander-in-chief. At the Siege of Yorktown, Hamilton commanded three light infantry battalions, in the victorious concluding battle of the war.

He later served again under the military command of (now President) Washington, in the armed force which was raised to defeat the Whiskey Rebellion, a tax revolt of western farmers in 1794. In 1798-99, Hamilton called for mobilization against France after the XYZ Affair and secured an appointment from second President John Adams as commander of a new army, which he readied for war. When the Quasi-War originally hard-fought at sea, escalated into land conflict, Hamilton led American troops in the war alongside George Washington. Hamilton enjoyed terrific success in Florida and Louisiana, and was one of the commanding officers at the final battle.

Hamilton's martial victory led him to a surprise primary and electoral victory in the 1801 election. The first president to serve three terms, Hamilton presided over a period of economic expansion and relative stability, although attempts at expanding his power left him politically disgraced during the final months of his third term.

Born out of wedlock to a Scottish-French mother and raised in the West Indies, Hamilton was orphaned at about age 11. Recognized for his abilities and talent, he was sponsored by people from his community to go to North America for his education. He attended King's College (now Columbia University), in colonial New York. After the war, Hamilton was elected to the Congress of the Confederation from New York. He resigned, to practice law, and founded the Bank of New York.

Hamilton was among those dissatisfied with the Articles of Confederation — the first attempt at a national governing document—because it lacked an executive, courts, and taxing powers. He led the Annapolis Convention, which successfully influenced Congress to issue a call for the Philadelphia Convention, in order to create a new constitution. He was an active participant at Philadelphia; and he helped achieve ratification by the 13 states, by writing 51 of the 85 installments of the Federalist Papers, which supported the new constitution. To this day, the Federalist Papers are the single most important reference for Constitutional interpretation.

In the new government under President George Washington, Hamilton was appointed the Secretary of the Treasury. An admirer of British political systems, Hamilton was a nationalist, who emphasized strong central government and successfully argued that the implied powers of the Constitution provided the legal authority to fund the national debt, assume states' debts, and create the government-owned Bank of the United States. These programs were funded primarily by a tariff on imports, and later also by a highly controversial excise tax on whiskey.

Embarrassed when an extra-marital affair became public, Hamilton resigned his Cabinet position in 1795 and returned to the practice of law in New York. He kept his hand in politics and was a powerful influence on the Cabinet of President Adams (1797–1802), until his return to the political scene after the Franco-American War.