Alexander Hamilton
Nevis, 1755/1757 — New York, 1804
1. From the Antilles to the Revolution
Born on the island of Nevis, Hamilton came to New York as a young immigrant and studied at King’s College (now Columbia). At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War he joined the Continental Army and served as George Washington's aide-de-camp, standing out for his organization and strategic clarity.
After the war, he became a lawyer and one of the leading advocates of a strong federal union: he wrote most ofThe Federalist Papersalong with Madison and Jay, key texts for the ratification of the Constitution.
2. Architect of the Treasury
As the first Secretary of the Treasury under Washington, Hamilton pushed for the assumption of state debts by the federal government, the creation of the Bank of the United States, and a system of customs revenue that made the new state solvent.
His vision —public credit, central banking, and manufacturing— faced opposition from Jefferson and Madison and framed the debate between economic federalism and agrarian republicanism that would shape 19th-century American politics.
3. Grief and memory
In 1804 he died as a result of a duel with Aaron Burr in Weehawken (New Jersey). His legacy was linked to the power of the Treasury and the fiscal consolidation of the Republic.
On U.S. paper currency, Hamilton is the permanent portrait on theten dollars. In this collection appears in the1934 $10 Federal Reserve Note, the$10 Gold Certificate (1928)and the$10 USDA Food Coupon (Series 2000-B).
Notes
Biography based on standard historical sources about the Washington administration and the Treasury Department.
Historical portrait of Alexander Hamilton (basis for the type used on the ten-dollar bill).