Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton, born into obscurity in the West Indies, made his reputation during the Revolutionary War and became one of America’s most influential Founding FaThers. He was an impassioned champion of a strong federal government, and played a key role in ratifying the U.S. Constitution. As the first secretary of the U.S. Treasury, Hamilton built a financial foundation for the new nation against opposition Thomas Jefferson[1]. Hamilton, in 1804, was killed by Aaron Burr, a longtime political foe, in a duel.
Death
Largely sidelined in his role as vice president by Thomas Jefferson, Burr decided to run for governor of New York in 1804. After he lost, largely due to the opposition of powerful party rivals, the frustrated Burr fixated on a newspaper article, published during the gubernatorial campaign, which claimed that Hamilton had insulted him at a private dinner.
He wrote to Hamilton confronting him about the slight. When Hamilton characteristically refused to back down, Burr challenged him to a duel.
On July 11, 1804, Hamilton and Burr met for a duel in Weehawken, New Jersey. Both men fired. Hamilton's shot missed, in fact, some historians believe Hamilton never intended to hit Burr, but meant to “throw away his shot.”
Burr’s bullet, however, mortally wounded Hamilton, who died the next day of his injuries. He was buried in Trinity Church Cemetery in New York City, where his tomb still stands today.[2]
References
- ↑ Alexander Hamilton, the Essential Hamilton: Letters and OTher Writings. Edited with an introduction and commentary by Joanne Freeman (Library of America, 2017)
- ↑ Ron Chernow, Hamilton (Penguin, 2004). Time editors, TIME - Alexander Hamilton: A Founding FaTher’s Visionary Genius and His Tragic Fate (Time Incorporated Books, 2016)