Jessica Gunderson - The Real Alexander Hamilton: The Truth Behind the Legend

1. JANUARY 1755: Alexander Hamilton is born on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean.
2. 1765: Alexander Hamiltons father, James, leaves the family.
3. 1765: Great Britain passes the Stamp Act, requiring American colonists to place a paid stamp on all printed documents. This act angers colonists who had no say in the law.
4. 1768: Jamess mother, Rachel, dies.
5. AUGUST 1772: A devastating hurricane strikes the island of St. Croix. Hamilton writes a description of the destruction which showcases his intelligence.
6. OCTOBER 1772: Hamilton leaves the Caribbean for the American colonies.
7. 1773: Hamilton enrolls in Kings College, New York.
8. 1775: The Revolutionary War begins with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Hamilton leaves college to fight in the war.
9. 1777: Hamilton becomes General George Washingtons aide.
10. 1780: Hamilton marries Elizabeth Schuyler.
11. 1781: Hamilton leaves Washingtons service and goes on to command his own unit in the Battle of Yorktown.
12. 1782: Hamilton studies law and becomes a member of the Continental Congress.
13. 1786: Hamilton calls for a Constitutional Convention to revise the governing document, the Articles of Confederation.
14. 1787: Hamilton begins writing The Federalist Papers in support of the new U.S. Constitution.
15. 1789: President George Washington appoints Hamilton as secretary of the treasury.
16. 1798: Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr tie in the race for president. Hamilton advises the Federalists to support Jefferson over Burr.
17. JULY 11, 1804: Alexander Hamilton is shot in a duel with Aaron Burr. Hamilton dies the next day.

having ambition or desire for power, social standing, or famelarge guns, such as cannons or missile launchers, that require several soldiers to load, aim, and fireto pass from person to person or place to placea representative of a U.S. territory to a conferencerelating to the production, use, and sale of goods and servicesseeing the futurea German soldier hired by the Britishto make into a product suitable for use; to make from raw materials by hand or machinerysomeone who buys and sells things for profitwhen a country is run by a single ruler such as a king or queen who has absolute powera course of action chosen in order to guide people making decisions; a plan embracing goals and procedures of a governmental bodythe level of income below which one cannot afford to buy the things necessary to livethe crime of betraying ones country by spying for another country or by helping an enemy during waran infectious disease marked by aches, vomiting, fever, yellowness of the skin, and sometimes death

1. Quirk, Anne.The Good Fight: The Feuds of the Founding Fathers. (And How They Shaped the Nation). New York: Knopf, 2017.
2. Shea, Therese.Alexander Hamilton: Founding Father and Treasury Secretary. Junior Biographies. New York: Enslow, 2018.
3. St. George, Judith.The Duel: The Parallel Lives of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. New York: Speak, 2016.

1. a man of irregular... Alexander Hamilton. Chernow, Ron. Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Press, 2004. p. 681.
2. This is a mortal... Alexander Hamilton. Chernow, Ron. Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Press, 2004. p. 704.
3. I am not conscious of it... Alexander Hamilton. Sylla, Richard. Alexander Hamilton: The Illustrated Biography. New York: Sterling, 2016. p. 51.
4. I am a stranger..., I hate Congress..., and We labor less... Alexander Hamilton. Randall, Willard Sterne. Alexander Hamilton: A Life. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. p. 234 & 235.
5. the influx of... Alexander Hamilton. Chernow, Ron. Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Press, 2004. p. 658.
6. Accessed October 2, 2018.
7. Accessed October 2, 2018.
8. Arnold has betrayed... George Washington; a scene of the blackest treason... Alexander Hamilton. Chernow, Ron. Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Press, 2004. p. 141.
9. Accessed October 2, 2018.
10. That man does not know... Alexander Hamilton. Chernow, Ron. Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Press, 2004. p. 508.
11. Youre a scoundrel! James Monroe; I will meet you... Alexander Hamilton. Chernow, Ron. Alexander Hamilton. New York,: Penguin Press, 2004. p. 539.
12. to which my fortune... Alexander Hamilton. Randall, Willard Sterne. Alexander Hamilton: A Life. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. p. 27.
13. the larger stock of... Alexander Hamilton. Randall, Willard Sterne. Alexander Hamilton: A Life. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. p. 180.
14. Accessed October 2, 2018.
15. is not fit... and by far not so dangerous a man... Alexander Hamilton. Chernow, Ron. Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Press, 2004. p. 624 and 632.

1. Avalon Project: Documents in law, History and Diplomacy. Yale University. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/ Accessed October 2, 2018.
2. Brookhiser, Richard.Alexander Hamilton: American. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
3. Chernow, Ron.Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Press, 2004.
4. Federalist Papers, The. https://thefederalistpapers.org/ Accessed October 2, 2018.
5. Kaminski, John P.Alexander Hamilton: From Obscurity to Greatness. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2016.
6. New-York Historical Society, The. Alexander Hamilton. http://www.alexanderhamiltonexhibition.org/ Accessed October 2, 2018.
7. Randall, Willard Sterne.Alexander Hamilton: A Life. New York:HarperCollins, 2003.
8. Sylla, Richard.Alexander Hamilton: The Illustrated Biography. New York: Sterling, 2016.

For many years, Alexander Hamiltons face has been a familiar sight to Americans. After all, it has graced the ten-dollar bill for nearly a century. But in recent years, a hugely popular Broadway showHamiltonhas made Alexander Hamilton a sort of modern celebrity. The story of Hamiltons rise and fall, told in hip-hop songs, brings this founding father to life in a memorable way. A likeness of Hamiltonone hand raised highappears on top of a star in advertisements for the hit musical. In a few short years, this version of him has become another familiar sight in American culture.

Before the play inspired new interest in Hamilton, perhaps the best-known fact about Hamiltons life was how it ended. When studying history of the Revolutionary War era, many Americans learn about the famous duel that left Hamilton with a fatal wound.

But what else do people know about him? Why is he a historical figure who so fascinates Americans today?

Alexander Hamilton was the youngest of the United States founding fathers. He helped draft the U.S. Constitution, and he wrote a series of essays to persuade the new nation to accept the Constitution as the law of the land. He served as the nations first secretary of the treasury, and he promoted many of the principles that the United States still follows today. He was accomplished, brilliant, and controversial. And he came from a background quite unlike the other founding fathers.