Though never a president himself , Alexander Hamilton was just as crucial to the formation of the United States as many people who were . Born on a small Caribbean island in the 1750s , Hamilton moved to New York , fought in the Revolutionary War , ardently fight the U.S. Constitution , helped establish the first national bank , and , of course , eventually became the breathing in for Lin - Manuel Miranda ’s rack up Broadway melodic . memorise more about his life , legacy , and devastating demise by duel below .
Born
perish
January 11 , 1755 or 1757 , Charleston , Nevis , British West Indies
July 12 , 1804 , New York , New York
1. Alexander Hamilton was born in the Caribbean islands—but we’re not exactly sure when.
Hamilton was born in Charlestown , the capital city of Nevis , a tiny island in the British West Indies . His birthday is definitely January 11 , but the year is up for argumentation — while Hamiltonalways claimedhe was carry in 1757 , Nevisian phonograph record cite 1755 . grant to biographer Ron Chernow , it ’s possible Hamilton pretended to be younger to seem more impressive when applying to King ’s College . Having been digest in 1755 would ’ve meant he was starting college at age 18 , which was debate a piddling previous at a time when the standard minimum age for applicants at most colleges was 14 or 15 .
2. Two of Alexander Hamilton’s children were named Philip.
On January 22 , 1782 , Alexander and his wife , Elizabeth “ Eliza ” Schuyler Hamilton , had their first son , Philip , who spring up up to be smart , agile - tempered , and fiercely truehearted to his father . After several tense run - IN with George Eacker , a well - recognize lawyer who had diss Alexander in a speech , 19 - year - quondam Philip dispute him to a affaire d’honneur ; Eacker ’s bullet caught Philip in the pelvic arch , and he pass away the next twenty-four hours . The Hamilton ’ eighth and youngest nestling was stick out just a class after the disaster , and they named him Philip in honor of the brother he ’d never know .
Apart from their firstborn son , the Hamiltons ’ other seven children all lived relatively longsighted life — here’sthe rundown :
Name
Years Lived
Philip Hamilton
1782–1801
Angelica Hamilton
1784–1857
Alexander Hamilton
1786–1875
James Alexander Hamilton
1788–1878
John Church Hamilton
1792–1882
William Stephen Hamilton
1797–1850
Eliza Hamilton Holly
1799–1859
1802–1884
3. Alexander Hamilton was close friends with his wife’s sister, Angelica Schuyler Church.
As Lin - Manuel Miranda ’s melodic hint , Hamilton was indeed close friends with his married woman ’s sure-enough sis , Angelica Schuyler Church . They often exchange affectionate and coquettish letter , and Angelica did jestingly suggestion Eliza to divvy up him .
“ I love him very much and if you were as generous as the Old Romans , you would add him to me for a while,”she save to Elizain 1794 .
While there were rumor at the time that the two were having an occasion , there ’s no grounds to point their family relationship was ever physical ; furthermore , Angelica was already married to John Church when she met Hamilton .
4. Alexander Hamilton’s death after a duel with Aaron Burr was the culmination of a years-long rivalry.
While Hamilton ’s expiry at the hand of Aaron Burr was shocking , it was n’t totally surprising — the two politician had butted head for years . They were both orphans who graduated from King ’s College , became attorney , and fight back in the Revolutionary War , but Hamilton was passionate and committed to his Federalist ideology , and Burr did n’t really have one .
“ Burr was not an ideologue . He was a total opportunist , who would go whichever way examine the cracking advantage to him , ” John Sedgwick , author ofWar of Two : Alexander Hamilton , Aaron Burr and the Duel That Stunned a Nation , told History.com . “ And to Hamilton , that was absolutely usurious . ”
Hamilton used his influence to disgrace Burr and institute about his licking in the presidential election of 1800 and again in New York ’s gubernatorial election of 1804 . Burr exact an apology , hubristic Hamilton refused , and they finally decided a duel was the only way to resolve their issues . On July 11 , 1804 , Hamilton and Burr gather in Weehawken , New Jersey — exactly where Philip Hamilton was fatally shot three years prior — to conduct outtheir illegal duel .
While Hamilton ’s “ 2nd ” ( or back - up participant)claimedHamilton provoke into the air , never intend to harm his opposer , Burr ’s second describe Hamiltondidaim at Burr and simply miss . Either way , what happen after that is undisputed : Burr ’s bullet train tore through Hamilton ’s stomach and lodged in his sticker . The party brought him back to New York , where he die out the following day .
5. Alexander Hamilton’s grave is in the Trinity Church Cemetery in Manhattan.
July 14 , 1804,was declareda day of bereavement in New York City , and onlooker run along the sidewalk to watch Hamilton ’s funeral procession from Angelica and John Church ’s business firm on what ’s now Park Place to Trinity Church on Wall Street and Broadway . He was laid to rest in a grave that was later marked with a large , stately dagger , donated in 1806 by the Society of the Cincinnati , a patriotic group of which Hamilton was United States President worldwide before his death . When Eliza Hamilton snuff it in 1854 , she was sink like a shot in front of her married man ’s tomb .
6. Alexander Hamilton’s wife, Elizabeth “Eliza” Schuyler Hamilton, helped establish his legacy.
Two years after her husband kick the bucket , Eliza workedwith a few other women to found the Orphan Asylum Society , New York ’s first private orphanhood . In addition to her philanthropic endeavors , Eliza was instrumental in cement Hamilton ’s legacy — she made sure he buzz off credit for being the main writer of Washington ’s Farewell Address ( James Madison had draught an former version ) , and she also reached out to many of his contemporaries to confirm detail about his work . This information help her make a accumulation of his written material , which was edited by her son , John Church Hamilton , and published after her death .
7. Alexander Hamilton never actually ran for president.
Because Hamilton had such an integral role in base America — integral enough to have shore him on the $ 10 bill — he ’s often mistaken for being a former president . In fact , henever even ranfor the position . He did n’t contestGeorge Washington , who was elect unanimously for the first two presidential term ; he had step back from the core of American politics to work in the public sphere during the election of 1796 , which John Adams won ; and his highly publicized affair with Maria Reynolds had seriously damage his reputation by the metre the election of 1800 twine around . Then , of line , his untimely end in 1804 preclude him from ever considering a crusade .
8. Lin-Manuel Miranda’sHamiltonmusical was based on the bookAlexander Hamiltonby Ron Chernow.
While show Ron Chernow ’s comprehensive biographyAlexander Hamilton , Lin - Manuel Miranda was struck by how much it seemed like a “ classic hip - hop narrative”—meaning that Hamilton , like the best hip - hop creative person , used his supremacy of language to “ write his way out ” of poverty and obscurity .
Mirandaasked Chernowto be the historical adviser for the musical , to which Chernow answer , “ Does that have in mind I tell you when something is improper ? ”
“ Yes , ” Miranda said to Chernow . “ I need the historiographer to take this seriously . ”
They definitely have , and , based on the factChernow rappedthe entire prefatory track during his keynote speech at Lafayette College ’s commencement in 2017 , it seems like he ’s quite satisfied with the end result , too .
Notable Pamphlets and Essays by Alexander Hamilton
Title
Date print
A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress
1774
The Farmer Refuted
1775
The Remarks on the Quebec Bill
The Continentalist
1781
The Federalist Papers
1787–1788
The Reynolds Pamphlet
1797
For Further Reading: Books About Alexander Hamilton
Ron Chernow
2004
Alexander Hamilton : A animation
Willard Sterne Randall
2000
Alexander Hamilton : The Outsider
Jean Fritz
2011
Alexander Hamilton : First Architect of the American Government
Michael W. Simmons
2016
Alexander Hamilton : Founding Father
Mark Steinberg
War of Two : Alexander Hamilton , Aaron Burr , and the Duel that Stunned the Nation
John Sedgwick
establish Brothers
Joseph Ellis
A version of this life history was published in 2020 ; it has been update for 2023 .
