Alexander Hamilton
Today in History: Aaron Burr Fatally Wounds Alexander Hamilton in Duel
On July 11, 1804, Aaron Burr fatally shot Alexander Hamilton during a duel. The duel was the culmination of years of conflict between the two men. They were bitter political rivals from opposing factions and the animosity often got personal. Ironically, George...
Today in History: Alexander Hamilton Born
Today in 1757, it is generally believed Alexander Hamilton was born. As John Adams put it, he was “the bastard brat of a Scottish peddler.” Born out of wedlock on the British isle of Nevis, Hamilton would become one of the most influential political forces of his...
Alexander Hamilton’s “Implied Powers” Wrecked the Constitution
During the ratification debates, supporters of the Constitution insisted that the new general government would only exercise the powers explicitly enumerated in the document. But less than three years after ratification, Alexander Hamilton did a complete 180, suddenly...
Was This the Biggest Political Flip-Flop Ever?
I don’t think anybody is surprised when politicians flip-flop. George H.W. Bush with his “no new taxes” pledge provides a great modern example. But Alexander Hamilton arguably gave us the most damaging, if not the biggest, flip-flop ever when he did a complete 180 on...