Alexander Hamilton: Founding Father and Architect of American Finance

Alexander Hamilton was one of the founding fathers of the United States, a leading member of the Federalist Party, and the first Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton was a brilliant thinker and writer who played a significant role in the development of American financial and economic policies, shaping the country’s financial system into a model for the world.

Early Life and Background

Alexander Hamilton was born on the Caribbean island of Nevis in 1755. His parents were unmarried, and his father abandoned the family when Hamilton was very young. Despite these setbacks, Hamilton was a gifted student and showed a talent for writing from an early age.

As a teenager, Hamilton was sent to the mainland colonies to receive an education. He attended King’s College (now Columbia University), where he studied law and became involved in revolutionary politics.

Role in the American Revolution

During the American Revolution, Hamilton served as a captain in the Continental Army. He quickly rose through the ranks and became an aide to General George Washington, with whom he formed a lifelong friendship and collaboration.

Hamilton played a key role in several important battles, including the Battle of Yorktown, which was the decisive victory for the American forces in the war. After the war, Hamilton became an important voice in the movement to strengthen the federal government.

Contributions to American Finance

As the first Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton played a significant role in shaping American financial policy. He was a strong advocate for a national bank, which would provide a stable foundation for the country’s financial system.

Hamilton was also the architect of the country’s system of public credit, which helped to establish the United States as a creditworthy nation on the global stage. He established policies that allowed the government to borrow money at low interest rates and pay it back over a long period, allowing the country to finance infrastructure projects and other initiatives that helped to establish the country’s economic foundation.

In addition to his financial policies, Hamilton was also a strong advocate for a strong central government. He believed that a strong federal government was necessary to prevent the country from fracturing into smaller, weaker states and to ensure that the United States could compete on the global stage.

Legacy

Alexander Hamilton’s contributions to the development of American finance were significant and far-reaching. His ideas and policies helped to establish the country as a financial powerhouse and created a foundation for the country’s economic development.

Hamilton’s legacy continues to be felt today in American politics and finance. His ideas and policies helped to shape the country’s financial system into a model for the world, and his advocacy for a strong central government helped to establish the United States as a great nation. Hamilton remains a towering figure in American history, remembered for his brilliance, his passion, and his commitment to the country’s future.

Alexander Hamilton represented New York at the Constitutional Convention and staunchly supported the creation of a unified and powerful central government. Hamilton was a leader of the Federalist Party who transcended loyalty to local states or regions, and instead opted to focus on strengthening the nation through the implementation of a fully functioning federal government. Like many Federalist members, Hamilton was a great skeptic of the individual, concluding that a successful nation needed an able central government to properly enforce the code of law, taxation, and protection against other countries.

Although Hamilton was the first delegate chosen to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, his vote and word were rendered powerless due to disagreeing votes by New York delegates John Lansing and Robert Yates. Hamilton’s wishes of an empowered central government were made controversial due to his alleged admiration of the British Monarchy. Hamilton proposed a “lifelong” President and Senate which would remain in power until death or corruption had tainted the office.

The FederalistParty was constantly in debate with prominent Anti-Federalist members GeorgeMason and Thomas Jefferson over the inclusion of individual liberties withinthe United States Constitution. Hamilton, a staunch supporter of a potent national government, believed that the inclusion of civil liberties within theConstitution was superfluous for individual rights are inherently or implicitly included in the documents.

As a resultof previous authoritative rule, many of the delegates at the Convention supporteda balance of powers between Federal and State governments, while maintaining aseries of rights awarded to the individual citizen. Aware of his position and lacking political savvy, Hamilton decided against the proposal of his intendedConstitution which included similar clauses such as: Senators were to be elected based on the country’s population, the President should be elected based on a difficult multi-stage process, the Supreme Court was to have jurisdiction over lawsuits involving the United States, the President was to have absolute veto power, and State governors were to be appointed by the national government.

When the Convention concluded, Alexander Hamiltonwas not pleased with the drafted Constitution. Although Hamilton still yearnedfor an empowered form of central government, he still signed the document andurged his fellow supporters to do the same. Hamilton viewed the Constitution asa vast improvement over the previously adopted Articles of Confederation and decided to compromise with his opposition.

Immediatelyfollowing the adoption, Hamilton rallied a group together and attempted tospark a ratification process through the creation of Federalist publications.Hamilton recruited James Madison and John Jay to write articles stressing theimportance of a powerful Federal Government with the ability to raise taxes. TheFederalist Papers contained 85 articles documenting the need for America to possess constant funding and pointing out the weaknesses of the American Constitution.

Theintentions of the Federalist Papers were to interpret the Constitution to themasses while attempting to sway votes and sentiment towards a ratificationprocess. Although Madison jumped ship and later created the Bill of Rights, theFederalist Papers were influential in sparking the ratification process of the early Constitutions.

Shortly after the Federalist Papers stoppedcirculation, Alexander Hamilton was appointed the Secretary of the Treasury in1789. Appointed by George Washington, Hamilton was viewed as an economic genius and is regarded as greatly contributing in the structural creation and cabinet roles of the United States Government.

Hamilton’sgreatest contributions come in the form of finance and the institution of noveltaxes such as excise levies on whiskey. Alexander Hamilton was constantlyperturbed by the nation’s debt and the organization of proper national funding.Through Hamilton’s efforts, the First National Bank was created and theAmerican financial system was greatly streamlined through extensive reports onmanufacturing, public credit, and debt.

Benjamin Franklin was one of the most influential founding fathers of the United States. He was a polymath and helped to shape American politics, science, and culture. In this article, we will explore the life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin.

Early Life and Career

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the youngest of 17 children in a large, poor family. Franklin attended school for only two years and was mainly self-taught. He became an apprentice to his older brother, who was a printer, and learned the trade of printing and publishing. Franklin also began writing articles for his brother’s newspaper, and his natural talent for writing soon became evident.

In 1723, Franklin left Boston and moved to Philadelphia, where he worked as a printer and writer. He soon established himself as one of the leading voices in Philadelphia and became involved in local politics and social movements.

Political Career

Franklin’s involvement in politics began in the 1730s, when he became active in the Pennsylvania Assembly. In 1753, he was appointed postmaster general for the colonies, and he quickly set about improving the postal service. Later, he served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and was one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence.

Franklin’s political accomplishments also included his role as the first United States ambassador to France. While in France, he secured critical support for the American Revolution and helped to negotiate the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War.

Scientific and Inventive Achievements

Franklin was also a renowned scientist and inventor. He conducted experiments on electricity and developed the lightning rod, which is still used today. Franklin also invented bifocal glasses and made important contributions to meteorology with his work on the Gulf Stream.

Perhaps his most famous scientific achievements came when he demonstrated that lightning was a form of electricity. He conducted his experiments with lightning using kites and developed the concept of positive and negative electrical charges.

Personal Life and Legacy

Franklin’s personal life was eventful and often controversial. He was married to Deborah Read and had two children, but he also had several extramarital relationships. He also owned slaves for much of his life, though later in life he became a vocal opponent of slavery.

Despite these controversies, Franklin’s legacy is significant. His inventions and scientific discoveries helped to pave the way for many of the technological advancements that we enjoy today. His political accomplishments helped to lay the foundation for the American democracy that we know today, and his writings and philosophical ideas continue to inspire and inform people around the world.

Conclusion

Benjamin Franklin was an incredibly influential figure, whose contributions helped to shape the United States and the world. He was a Renaissance man who made significant accomplishments in science, invention, writing, and politics. Franklin’s ideas and legacies continue to impact the United States, inspiring future generations to strive for greatness and to create a better, freer, and more just society.

A true renaissance man, Benjamin Franklin was an acclaimed inventor, author, political theorist, soldier, diplomat, scientist, and Founding Father to the UnitedStates of America. Franklin’s contributions to American society are seemingly endless. However, the role he played in constructing the Constitution, aiding in the revolution against Britain and establishing America as a free and unique nation should be enlightened.

BenjaminFranklin stands alone as the only Founding Father to have signed all four historical documents relevant to the creation of a sovereign United States ofAmerica: The Declaration of Independence, The Treaty of Alliance, the Treaty ofPeace between England, France, and the United States (1782), and theConstitution (1787).

Although Benjamin Franklin played a substantial role in the development of America’s Constitution and the establishment of the country, many believe that his greatest achievements were accomplished overseas as a diplomat. During the late 1740s and early 1750s, Franklin quickly shot up the political ranks.

Franklin began as a councilman in 1749, then a Justice of the Peace a year after, and shortly there after an assembly man in 1750. From 1751-1764, Franklin served on the colonial’s Legislature and produced weekly publications that focused on everyday matters such as the weather, astrology, science, the importance of philanthropy, and news. Although hewas an overwhelming voice of the people, Benjamin Franklin was rarelyboisterous or aggressive towards the British rule. As a result of his numerous contributions, Franklin was widely respected among all world leaders and governments. When the controlling Monarch attempted to unjustly tax American settlers, Franklin did not lead in revolts like his other Founding Fathers, but instead, simply told British leaders that their taxation models were frivolous and would not be followed.

As the British Parliament grew more desperate their actions grew more aggressive. Franklin, through satires and publications,became a leader in unifying the states against British rule. The cartoon of asnake cut into many pieces, which was published by Franklin, became a symbol ofAmerica’s need to unite and rebel. The severed snake represented a superstition that was not true. Snakes cut into many pieces did not regenerate or come backto life. Settlers adopted this illustration as a reminder of the dangersimposed through separation. Benjamin Franklin’s most critical role in terms ofthe Constitution and establishment of America came when he convinced the Frenchto join sides with the colonists and fight against the British Army. WithoutFrench support, specifically naval aid, the Revolutionary War would have been extended indefinitely and perhaps impossible to have won.

Franklin successfully persuaded the French inclusion in the Revolution by claiming thatthe British would be too powerful and a global power if they defeated theUnited States. The French eventually agreed and in addition to fighting alongside colonials, also supplied food and military equipment to the states.Franklin grew popular in France and eventually moved there and acted as a necessary diplomat between the French and Americans.

Franklin’s imaginative and ingenious thoughts wereviewed as both brilliant and revolutionary among his peers. Blessed with acunning whit and a brilliant mind, Franklin was quickly seen as the perfectchoice to represent Colonial America in its foreign affairs. When theConstitution was signed Franklin was physically there, but due to illness andold-age, opted to play only a minor role in the creation of thought behind thedocument. Franklin served as editor to the Amendments, often times delegating tasks to other prominent leaders. Along with inventions and the discovery ofelectricity, Franklin’s contributions were primarily constructed overseas inthe form of peace treaties between Britain, France, and the newly establishedUnited States of America.