Alexander Hamilton: The Most Important Figure In American History

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Alexander Hamilton (2004) is a detailed true story of one of the most important figures in American history. It is based on Hamilton’s early life. As a politician, as a revolutionary war hero, and the first treasury secretary, Hamilton dedicated his life and intellect to unifying and strengthening the United States. Hamilton in truth did perhaps more than any other one person to secure the power of the American Union. Though he was never president, he was a hero deemed as a true founding father, title he kept till his death.
Hamilton claimed to have been born in the British West Indies, on the Island of Nevis, sometime between 1755 and 1757. He escaped a life of meaninglessness and moved to New York as a teen where he began his political …show more content…

He successfully argued for the assumption of state debts by the federal government and the establishment of the first national bank – a private, but partially government-owned institution. He firmly established the principles of financial trading. Due to his efforts, the creditworthiness of the United States was restored. Hamilton’s accomplishments as Treasury Secretary were not achieved without a struggle. His congressional opponents tried to exhaust him by demanding detailed reports on the workings of the treasury department with incredibly short delivery dates. Hamilton nearly killed himself fulfilling these requests, but he did so brilliantly and completely, in turn exhausting congress going through them meticulously. He dazzled them with his brilliance and many were simply intellectually incapable of comprehending his plans. Not content to establish the customs service and the coast guard, and create a stable monetary system for the new government, Hamilton also dabbled in the affairs of state, much to the chagrin of Thomas Jefferson. He was once again an indefatigable assistant to Washington. Hamilton left the cabinet after Washington’s first term, returning to his New York law practice to repair his family finances, but Washington continued to rely upon him, as did many other cabinet members. He …show more content…

They remained loyal to Hamilton and continued to rely on him extensively. This was one of the reasons that Adams, as well as Jefferson, developed an intense hatred for Hamilton. It was during Adams’ presidency that the venerable Washington was called upon to resume his generalship because of the looming prospect of war with France. He would only do so on the condition that Hamilton be second in command. By this time, Washington and Hamilton had developed a mutual respect that elevated Hamilton to the status of peer. This is conveyed by Washington’s correspondence with Hamilton. Hamilton began his decline when Washington died. Freed of the tempered restraining influence of Washington, Hamilton’s judgment faltered. At this point, the book became almost unbearably sad. Hamilton engaged in a number of political feuds with Adams, Jefferson, Madison, and others that clouded his perspective. None of these men behaved well. (The reader is left with a less than positive impression of Jefferson and Adams.) He began to see things in an overly pessimistic light which ultimately resulted in the loss of his political influence and finally his life, at the hands of an incensed Aaron