Alexander Hamilton Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Alexander Hamilton?

Alexander Hamilton was a prominent figure in American history, perhaps best known for his contributions to the creation of the United States Constitution. He was an influential Founding Father, who served as a leader of the Federalist Party and became the first Secretary of the Treasury. He is remembered for his strong support for a strong national government and economic policies that encourage commerce and industry.Hamilton was born in 1755 on Nevis Island in what is now the Caribbean island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. His father abandoned him at a young age, leaving him with little financial support but with an ambitious spirit to pursue his education. After studying at local schools, he moved to New York City where he became a clerk in law offices and studied intensely on his own time to learn about law, politics, economics, philosophy, and other topics related to public administration. By 1777 he had become part of General George Washington’s staff during the Revolutionary War; Washington himself would come to consider Hamilton one of his most trusted advisors. Hamilton attended debates over state constitutions during this time as well as taking part in creating New York’s constitution which allowed him to contribute significantly to developing ideas about federalism that would later shape both state constitutions and U.S. constitutional debates after independence was declared from Great Britain in 1783. In 1787 Hamilton attended constitutional conventions in Philadelphia where he advocated strongly for federalism; calling for strong national government power so that it could pass laws binding on all states instead of allowing states separate autonomy which could lead them into conflict with each other or undermine collective decisions made by Congress while still respecting individual rights under state laws.