(The year Alexander Hamilton was born is 1755, not 1757. Also, in the year his mother died he was 12 years old, not 11.) Tags: Visual edit apiedit |
Stormbeast (talk | contribs) m (Database says otherwise) Tag: sourceedit |
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==Biography== |
==Biography== |
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| − | Hamilton was born in the {{Wiki|British West Indies}} in |
+ | Hamilton was born in the {{Wiki|British West Indies}} in 1757, and was orphaned at the age of 11. Because of his intelligence however, his employers invested their money to send him to university. He moved to [[New York City|New York]] in 1773, where he began attending [[King's College]]. He was writing pro-rebel articles by 1774, and in 1775, he had joined the Colonial militia. Hamilton later fought during the occupation of New York in 1776. Recognizing his natural leadership qualities, George Washington appointed him as an aide-de-camp. |
Five years later, Hamilton had grown eager to return to the battlefield, and he commanded soldiers during the [[Siege of Yorktown]] in 1781. In 1788, Hamilton became a member of {{Wiki|Congress of the Confederation|Congress}} for the state of [[New York]]. He soon became fixed on the funding of the {{Wiki|Federal government of the United States|federal government}}, which was practically non-existent due to the government's reluctance to demand taxes. |
Five years later, Hamilton had grown eager to return to the battlefield, and he commanded soldiers during the [[Siege of Yorktown]] in 1781. In 1788, Hamilton became a member of {{Wiki|Congress of the Confederation|Congress}} for the state of [[New York]]. He soon became fixed on the funding of the {{Wiki|Federal government of the United States|federal government}}, which was practically non-existent due to the government's reluctance to demand taxes. |
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Revision as of 01:22, 6 January 2016
Alexander Hamilton (11 January 1757 – 12 July 1804) was a Founding Father of the United States, one of George Washington's most trusted advisers during the American Revolution and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury.
Biography
Hamilton was born in the British West Indies in 1757, and was orphaned at the age of 11. Because of his intelligence however, his employers invested their money to send him to university. He moved to New York in 1773, where he began attending King's College. He was writing pro-rebel articles by 1774, and in 1775, he had joined the Colonial militia. Hamilton later fought during the occupation of New York in 1776. Recognizing his natural leadership qualities, George Washington appointed him as an aide-de-camp.
Five years later, Hamilton had grown eager to return to the battlefield, and he commanded soldiers during the Siege of Yorktown in 1781. In 1788, Hamilton became a member of Congress for the state of New York. He soon became fixed on the funding of the federal government, which was practically non-existent due to the government's reluctance to demand taxes.
Having been named Secretary of the Treasury in 1787 and released the first war bonds in 1790, Hamilton fought for a strong federal government, in stark opposition to politicians like Thomas Jefferson, who fought for states' rights. During this tenure, Hamilton was responsible for creating much of the United States' economic policy.