Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton was born at Nevis, in the West Indies, January 11, 1757. His father was Scotch; his mother, French. He was sent to New York City to be educated. He was enrolled at King's College when the Revolutionary War broke out. He was a student of unusual precocity. He began writing political pamphlets at the age of seventeen. When hostilities began he organized a company of cavalry and served in the battles of Long Island and White Plains. Washington placed confidence in his ability and made him a member of his staff. After Yorktown, young Hamilton married the daughter of General Schuyler and settled down in New York to practice law. He could not refrain from politics, however, In 1782 he was in the Continental Congress. He took part in the Annapolis Convention of 1786. He was also a member of the Constitutional Con¬vention of 1787. He advocated a constitution granting the general government much more extensive authority than was finally agreed to. When the Constitution was submitted to the votes of the several states for ratification, Hamilton entered into the discussion in its favor with all his heart. With others, he wrote a series of pamphlets devoted to arguments in fa-vor of adopting the new constitution. He carried his own state, New York.
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