-
Born
Hamilton was born in Charlestown, the capital of Nevis. Nevis is part of the British West Indies. He was born to Rachel Faucette and James A. Hamilton. He was born out of wedlock. -
Period: to
Alexander Hamilton
Born and Death date of Alexander Hamilton -
Education
In the autumn of 1772, Hamilton arrived by way of Boston, Massachusetts, at Elizabethtown Academy to learn grammar.
He came under the influence of William Livingston. Livingston was a revolutionary thinker at the time. -
First Political Papers
A Church of England clergy member published a writing prompting the Loyalist cause and Hamilton responded with his first political writings, "A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress" and "The Farmer Refuted". -
Saving his college professor
Hamilton saved his college professor, a Loyalist, from an angry mob of Revolutionists by talking to the crowd long enough for his professor to escape. -
Start Of Military Career
In 1775, after the first engagement of American troops with the British in Boston, Hamilton joined a New York volunteer militia company called the Hearts of Oak, which included other King's College students. He drilled with the company, before classes, in the graveyard of a nearby chapel. After studying military tactics and history, he eventually recieved the rank of lieutenant. -
Washington's Chief of Staff
Hamilton was invited to become an aide to Nathanael Greene and to Henry Knox, but declined thinking the best way to improve his rank was glory on the battlefield. Eventually, he was invited to be Washington's rank as a Lieutenant Colonel. He served four years as Washington's Chief of Staff. -
Marriage
Hamilton married Elizabeth Schuyler on December 14, 1780. She was the daughter of Philip Schuyler, a general and wealthy landowner from one of the most prominent families in the state of New York. The marriage took place at Schuyler Mansion in Albany, New York. -
Resignation and Combat
In Februray of 1781, Hamilton was mildly disciplened by Washington. Hamilton used this as an excuse to resign. He asked Washington and others for a field command. This continued until early July 1781, when Hamilton submitted a letter to Washington with his commission enclosed, threatening to resign if he did not get his requested command. -
Commander of New York light infantry battalion
On July 31, 1781, Washington relented and assigned Hamilton as commander of a New York light infantry battalion. In the planning for the assault on Yorktown, Hamilton was given command of three more battalions, which were to fight in with French troops in taking Redoubts No. 9 and No. 10 of the British fortifications at Yorktown. -
Resignation of Military Service and Congress
After the Battle of Yorktown, Hamilton resigned from his military post. He was elected in July 1782 to the Congress of the Confederation as a New York represenative for a term beginning in November. -
Resignation from Congress
Hamilton resigned from Congress in 1783, and returned to New York to pratice law. He specialized in defending Tories and British subjects, as in Rutgers v. Waddington. He pleaded for the Mayor's Court to interpret state law consistent with the 1783 Treaty of Paris which had ended the Revolutionary War. -
Founding of the Bank of New York & The Articles of Confederation
In 1784, Hamilton founded the Bank of New York, which is currently the longest bank still running in New York. Long dissatisfied with the weak Articles of Confederation, he played a major leadership role at the Annapolis Convention in 1786. He drafted its resolution for a constitutional convention, and in doing so brought his longtime desire to have a more powerful, more financially independent federal government one step closer to reality. -
Proposals at the Convention
At the convention, Hamilton proposed a number of ideas. He proposed that we elect a President that served for life, and also Senators that served for life, so long as they behaved good. This idea contributed later to the hostile view of Hamilton as a monarchist sympathizer, held by James Madison. -
Constitutional Convention
In 1787, Hamilton served as assemblyman from New York County in the New York State Legislature and was the first delegate chosen to the Constitutional Convention. His influence was limited, even though he helped cause for the convention to be called. When the two other delegates fron New York left the convention in protest, Hamilton remained but with no vote because no state could vote without at least two delegates. -
Appointment to United States Secretary of the Treasury
President George Washington appointed Hamilton as the first United States Secretary of the Treasury on September 11, 1789. He left office on the last day of January 1795. Much of the structure of the government of the United States was worked out in those five years, beginning with the structure and function of the cabinet itself. Washington did request Hamilton's advice and assistance on matters outside the purview of the Treasury Department. He also established the Mint and National Bank.
