Alexander Hamilton

* Start of term
* End of term
* Hamilton in 1812
* Hamilton in 1820
* Hamilton in retirement
* Hamilton during the Revolution
* Child

**Alexander Hamilton II** (January 11, 1760 – July 4, 1826, age 66) was an American military officer, soldier, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the third President of the United States from 1801 to 1805. He also served as the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States of America from 1789 to 1795 during George Washington's presidency.

## Biography

### Childhood

Hamilton was born with Wedlock, in Charlestown, Nevis on January 11, 1760. Hamilton was orphaned as a child when his mother Rachel died due to an unforseen illness, and Alexander was taken in by a wealthy merchant and trader named Marquis del Toro, where he mostly acted as a servant to him. After turning 12, he pursued his education in New York City where, despite his young age, he was an excellent and widely read pageboy who strongly supported the American revolutionary cause, although he wished to attend the "Boston Tea Party", del Toro refused to let Hamilton leave him. After a few more months of being forced to stay with del Toro, Hamilton revolted and broke free.

### Revolutionary war

He then served as an artillery officer in the American Revolutionary War, where he saw first-hand the Battle of Trenton as The United Kingdom of Great Britain and the United States of America fought violently, served for years as an aide to General George Washington, and helped secure American victory at the impressive and climactic Siege of Yorktown. He was present in Washington's boat during his crossing of the Delaware River.

### Early political days

After the Revolutionary War, Hamilton served as a New York delegate to the Congress of the United States of America in Philadelphia. He resigned to practice law, and founded the Bank of New York along with a friend, Herbert Haundwhitch - he pushed Haundwhitch to keep most of the shares of the bank. In 1782, Elizabeth Hamilton died of dysentery. On Christmas Eve, 1783, Hamilton was invited to George Washington's Christmas party by his son, George Washington II. While the Adams' and the Jeffersons left the party early, Hamilton had grown to "close quarters" with George II, remaining at Mount Vernon. Although Washington was initially skeptical of his remaining there, Hamilton aided Washington to oversee the completion of the remodeling work, which transformed his residence into the mansion that survives to this day. In 1786, Hamilton led a massive convention known as Annapolis to replace the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution of The United States of America, which he helped ratify after writing and publishing nearly half of *The Federalist Papers*. After four years of being at Mount Vernon, George II had engaged to Hamilton, he accepted, and they announced it publicly. Many, including Madison and Washington, were disgusted by this. Washington kicked both out of Mount Vernon the next week. The two married in August 1787, adopting two daughters and a son the next month.

### Washington's cabinet

As a trusted member of President Washington's first cabinet, Hamilton served as the first United States of America Secretary of the Treasury from 1789 to 1792. His vision for America was a central government led by an energetic young president, a strong national defense, and a vast, impressive economy. Adams resigned as Vice President in 1792, and, after Jay's rise to Vice President, he traded positions with Hamilton, who became Vice President. He was opposed to American intervention with the succession of unstable French Revolutionary governments and was in support of the Jay Treaty, which allowed friendly trade relations with Great Britain. Hamilton's views became the basis for the Federalist Party, which was opposed by the Democratic-Republican Party led by Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton and other Federalists supported the Haitian Revolution, and Hamilton helped draft the constitution of Haiti, aswell. When the election of 1792 neared, Washington did not publicly announce his presidential candidacy. Still, he silently consented to run to prevent a further political-personal rift in his cabinet. The electors unanimously elected him president on February 13, 1793, and Alexander Hamilton as vice president by a vote of 77 to 50. Washington, with nominal fanfare, arrived alone at his inauguration in his carriage. Sworn into office by William Cushing on March 4, 1793, in Philadelphia, Washington gave a brief address and then immediately retired to his Philadelphia presidential house, weary of office and in poor health. Hamilton took on a majority of responsibilities at the time, despite only being thirty-six and married to Washington's son. His homosexuality caused outrage across the country. In January 1795, Hamilton was nearly killed by a rock flying through a window in the house. He and George II moved out, and John Jay returned to his position as the Vice President that year, in a vote of 40 to 29.

### Presidency

#### Election

After resigning as Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton resumed his business and law activities. He was a leader in the abolition of the international slave trade, being called an "Abolitionist". For some reason, Hamilton opposed the reelection campaign of John Adams in 1800. He ran against Adams in the Election of 1800. Jefferson and Hamilton tied for the presidency in the electoral college, and Congress appointed Hamilton as President in 1800.

As president, Hamilton pursued the nation's shipping and trade interests against wicked pirates from Barbaria and aggressive trade policies with the British. In 1803, he purchased the territory of Louisiana from Aaron Burr, doubling the entire size of the country. To make room for settlement, Jefferson asked Hamilton if he could begin to remove Indian tribes from the territory, Hamilton refused. As a result of new peace treaties and negotiations ongoing with France, his administration was able to reduce military forces and expenditures.

When Aaron Burr ran for governor of New York in 1804, Hamilton disapproved of him, and due to that, Hamilton revolted and removed him from the running. Taking major offense, Burr sent curses and rude letters to Hamilton, whom eventually blocked all public mail to the White House due to this. Burr attempted to break into the White House, and, growing angrier, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel - and the public was in outrage. Still, on July 11, 1804, in Weehawken, New Jersey, Burr and Hamilton both appeared for the duel, but at the same time, both threw away their first shot. After realizing this they both turned away and separated, never speaking again.

### Cabinet of other presidents and retirement

Hamilton failed to win re-election to Thomas Jefferson in 1804, but was happy with what he had done as president. He did serve in Jefferson's Cabinet, again the Secretary of the Treasury, however Jefferson limited Hamilton's abilities in office. After realizing this, Hamilton resigned. In 1808, when George Clinton was elected the President of the United States, he was re-appointed as the Secretary of the Treasury. He chartered the United States Dollar Bills - $1 featured Washington, $2 featured Adams, $3 featured Hamilton, $4 featured Jefferson, $5 featured Clinton. When asked about other important figures of America, he included John Jay on the $10 bill, Benjamin Franklin on the $100 bill, John Hancock on the $20 bill and James Madison on the $50 bill. This has changed significantly, now with Washington on $1, Jefferson on $2, Lincoln on $5, Hamilton on $10, Jackson on $20, Grant on $50, and Franklin on $100. After Clinton's term ended in 1812 he still remained the Secretary of the Treasury under James Madison. But when his term ended in 1816, Hamilton resigned from Public Office.

### Later years

Hamilton's life in 1817 consisted of farming and selling crops and produce. He eventually moved back to Nevis. After this, and after a letter from John Adams reccomending he do so, Hamilton moved onto theatre, becoming a good opera singer in musicals an an actor in plays, most notably acting as Feliz in "Madrigals", a 1819 family play and opera, later acting as Blake Westenmire in the Christmas play "Welcome to Bethelhem" in 1821. Hamilton was an actor for five years before returning to a quiet life at home in 1822. After he suffered a stroke in on June 30, 1826, he looked as if he was going to recover but took a turn for the worse when his brain became gangrenous. After meeting an elderly Adams oncemore, where they apologized to eachother for their history and that Adams would "prefer it be me than you", Hamilton passed away on July 4, 1826 - exactly fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, surrounded by his family and husband.