Alexander Hamilton is a name most Americans don’t recognize despite the fact that he was one of the Founding Fathers of United States. Sure we can identify the names Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, but honestly, it seems that America has forgotten about Hamilton who deserves the same amount of recognition as these men. However, with the birth of the hit Broadway production, Hamilton, people, like myself, have started to become aware of this individual’s story. This musical has recently captured the attention of people across the nation enlightening them about American history in a new and amusing manner. For this reason, I chose to read about Alexander Hamilton hoping to learn about him and view the production in a new …show more content…
Hamilton became a lawyer and was appointed receiver of continental taxes for New York. As Continental Receiver, Hamilton’s jobs involved collecting money voluntarily given by the colonies to support the government. In July 1782, Hamilton was elected by the New york State Legislature to serve as a delegate from the Second Continental Congress. Five years later, Hamilton attended the Constitutional Convention and wrote articles supporting the ratification of the new Constitution. Together, he, James Madison, and John Jay, wrote eighty-five articles urging ratification. These articles formed the book The Federalist. With influence from this book, more than nine states approved the Constitution. Not long after, George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States and selected Alexander Hamilton as the first secretary of treasury in his Cabinet. As secretary of treasury, Hamilton worked to build a strong financial foundation for the new nation, find a way to pay the country’s debt, and establish its credibility with other nations. On June 2, 1790, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Hamilton’s funding bill, which raised money through a system of tariffs on export and import goods. Not to mention, he helped found the Coinage Act, which Congress passed on April 2, 1792. The act established the U.S. Mint and regulated coinage in the United States. Hamilton also established the first bank of the United States. This bank eventually grew into what is known as the Federal Reserve System. He helped create the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy. Hamilton’s taxes angered many people. In particular, the whiskey tax led to much violence and even a rebellion. During this time, Hamilton gained some dislike and enemies. Some of which were state senator Aaron Burr, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton retired from the Department of Treasury at the end of January 1795 and