Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton
1st United States Secretary of the Treasury
In office September 11, 1789 – January 31, 1795
President	George Washington
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Oliver Wolcott Jr.
Senior Officer of the United States Army
In office December 14, 1799 – June 15, 1800
President	John Adams
Preceded by	George Washington
Succeeded by	James Wilkinson
Delegate to the Congress of the Confederation from New York
In office November 3, 1788 – March 2, 1789
Preceded by	Egbert Bensonor
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
In office November 4, 1782 – June 21, 1783
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Personal details
Born	(1755-01-11)January 11, 1755 or 1757 Charlestown, Nevis, British Leeward Islands
Died	(1804-07-12)July 12, 1804 (aged 47 or 49) New York City, New York
Resting place	Trinity Church Cemetery
Political party	Federalist
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Schuyler ​ (m. 1780)​
Children	Philip Hamilton Angelica Hamilton Alexander Hamilton Jr. James Alexander Hamilton John Church Hamilton William S. Hamilton Eliza Hamilton Holly Philip Hamilton (the second)
Parents	James A. Hamilton Rachel Faucette
Education	King's College (renamed Columbia)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	New York  United States (1777–1800)
Branch/service	New York Provincial Company of Artillery Continental Army United States Army
Years of service	1775–1776 (Militia) 1776–1781 1798–1800
Rank	Major general
Commands	U.S. Army Senior Officer
Battles/wars	American Revolutionary War  • Battle of Harlem Heights  • Battle of White Plains  • Battle of Trenton  • Battle of Princeton  • Battle of Brandywine  • Battle of Germantown  • Battle of Monmouth  • Siege of Yorktown Quasi-War

Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 – July 12, 1804) was a statesman, a political theorist and an economist. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Hamilton was the United States' first Secretary of the Treasury. He was known for the creation of a national bank. Born on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean, Hamilton moved to New York City. When the American Revolutionary War started, Hamilton served in the Continental Army. He was a close aide to General George Washington. After leaving the military he started a bank. He was one of the framers of the United States Constitution. Along with James Madison and John Jay, he wrote the Federalist Papers, which supported the new Constitution.

Hamilton became the Secretary of the Treasury under George Washington. He helped set up the United States' financial system. Hamilton supported a national bank as well as the funding of the national debt. A leader of the Federalist Party, he was a long time rival of Thomas Jefferson. He was killed in a duel with political rival Aaron Burr, who was one of his first friends, in 1804.

Today, Hamilton is usually thought of as one of the most important of the early leaders. Hamilton's portrait appears on the United States ten-dollar bill.