Jonah Patel
Alexander Hamilton was a New York delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and a major author of the Federalist Papers. He was born in 1755 or 1757, which means he was in his early thirties when he signed the Constitution. Hamilton was the only delegate from New York to sign the document, and he played a crucial role in the Constitution's ratification and interpretation. He was also the first secretary of the treasury of the United States from 1789 to 1795 and is remembered for his untimely death in a duel with Aaron Burr.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age when signing the Constitution | 30 years old |
| Birth year | 1755 or 1757 |
| Year of signing the Constitution | 1787 |
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What You'll Learn
Alexander Hamilton was 30 when he signed the Constitution
Alexander Hamilton, born in 1755 or 1757, was 30 years old when he signed the Constitution in 1787. He was a delegate from New York to the Constitutional Convention, and the only original signer of the Constitution from New York. Hamilton was a passionate advocate for the Constitution and played a crucial role in its ratification and interpretation. He collaborated with James Madison and John Jay on the Federalist Papers, a series of 85 articles and essays written under the pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the Constitution. Hamilton authored 51 of these essays, covering topics such as the executive and judicial branches, military matters, and taxation.
Hamilton's plan for the national government, which included giving it unlimited power over the states, had little impact on the convention. The delegates opted for a constitution that balanced strong federal power with the likelihood of being accepted by the people. Although Hamilton was not entirely satisfied with the final Constitution, he signed it as a significant improvement over the Articles of Confederation.
Hamilton's contributions to the establishment of the United States extended beyond the Constitution. He served as the first secretary of the treasury, where he set forth major economic policies and used the "implied powers" of the Constitution to create a national debt, public credit, and national bank. Hamilton also helped found the Bank of New York and the Bank of North America, the first bank established in the United States.
Hamilton's military career began before the American Revolutionary War, during which he fought in several battles and served as an aide-de-camp to General George Washington. He continued his military service after the war, during which he advocated for a strong central government. Hamilton's life and achievements have been commemorated through exhibits and the popular musical "Hamilton."
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He was the only delegate from New York to sign
Alexander Hamilton was a delegate from New York to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. He was only 30 years old at the time. Hamilton was a passionate campaigner for the Constitution and played a role in creating it, although his own plan for the government was not adopted. He was the only delegate from New York to sign the Constitution, as the other two members of the New York delegation, Lansing and Yates, had withdrawn.
Hamilton was a major author of the Federalist Papers, a series of essays written in defence of the proposed Constitution. He wrote 51 of the 85 essays published, covering topics such as the executive and judicial branches of government, military matters, and taxation. Hamilton also supervised the entire project, enlisted participants, and oversaw publication. The Federalist Papers proved persuasive in securing the ratification of the Constitution by the states.
Hamilton also served as the first US secretary of the treasury, where he set forth major economic policies. He envisioned a central government led by an energetic executive, a strong national defence, and a more diversified economy with a significantly expanded industry. He proposed that the government establish a steady revenue stream by taxing imported goods and that senators and the executive serve for life. Hamilton also founded the Bank of New York to re-energize the war-torn economy and wrote the bank's constitution, which inspired other banks to follow a similar model.
Hamilton's influence is still felt across the world today, and he is remembered as a founding father of the United States.
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Hamilton wrote 51 of 85 Federalist Papers
Alexander Hamilton was in his early thirties when he signed the Constitution. He was born in 1755 or 1757 and was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. He was the only New York signer of the Constitution, as the other two delegates from New York had withdrawn.
Hamilton is well-known for his significant contributions to the Federalist Papers, writing 51 out of 85 essays. The Federalist Papers were a series of essays written by Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the collective pseudonym "Publius". The essays were published anonymously in various New York state newspapers between October 1787 and May 1788. The first 77 essays were published serially in the Independent Journal, the New York Packet, and The Daily Advertiser. The last eight papers (Nos. 78-85) were republished in New York newspapers between June 14 and August 16, 1788.
Hamilton initiated and supervised the entire project, enlisting collaborators and ensuring the publication of the essays. He also wrote the majority of the essays, covering topics such as the executive and judicial branches of government, military matters, and taxation. The Federalist Papers were written to promote the ratification of the Constitution and defend it against criticism from Anti-Federalists. Hamilton's essays provided an extensive explanation of the proposed Constitution to the people of New York, addressing concerns over the scope and power of the federal judiciary.
The Federalist Papers are still used today as a reference for interpreting the Constitution, and Hamilton's influence on the political and economic development of the United States is widely recognized. Hamilton's role as a writer of the bulk of the Federalist Papers and his contributions as a statesman and Secretary of the Treasury have left a lasting impact on the nation.
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He was the first US secretary of the treasury
Alexander Hamilton was around 30 years old when he signed the Constitution as a delegate from New York. He was the only signer from New York, as the other two delegates from the state had withdrawn. Hamilton was a passionate advocate for the Constitution and played a significant role in its ratification and interpretation. He collaborated with James Madison and John Jay on the Federalist Papers, a series of 85 articles and essays written under the pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the Constitution. Hamilton wrote 51 of these essays, covering topics such as the executive and judicial branches of government, military matters, and taxation.
Following the ratification of the Constitution, George Washington was elected the first president of the United States in 1789. He appointed Alexander Hamilton as the first secretary of the treasury, a position he held from 1789 to 1795. As secretary of the treasury, Hamilton set forth major economic policies and sought to create a stable financial foundation for the nation. He envisioned a strong central government with expanded industry and a diversified economy. Hamilton proposed that the government establish a steady revenue stream by taxing imported goods and assuming the debts of the states. He also proposed the creation of a federal bank, which was approved, solidifying America's economic stability.
Hamilton's economic policies and ideas were not without opposition, however. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and Representative James Madison disagreed with his plan for the national government to assume state debts. They only assisted in passing the proposal through Congress when Hamilton agreed to a permanent location for the capital on the Potomac River. Hamilton's economic expertise and influence extended beyond his role as secretary of the treasury. He founded the Bank of New York to revitalise the economy after the war and wrote the bank's constitution, which served as a model for other banks.
Hamilton's contributions to the establishment of the United States were significant, and he is remembered as one of the nation's founding fathers. His influence extended beyond his lifetime, and his words in the Federalist Papers continue to be used by lawmakers to interpret the Constitution even today. Hamilton's life and achievements have also been immortalised in the popular musical "Hamilton: An American Musical," which has brought renewed attention to his legacy in the 21st century.
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Hamilton was a delegate at the 1787 convention
Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 or 1757. He was, therefore, around 32 years old when he was a delegate at the 1787 convention.
Hamilton was a delegate from New York to the Congress of the Confederation in Philadelphia. He resigned to practice law and founded the Bank of New York. In 1786, he led the Annapolis Convention, which sought to strengthen the power of the independent states over the limited authorities granted under the Articles of Confederation.
The following year, he was a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention, which drafted the U.S. Constitution. This convention created a more centralized federal national government. Hamilton then authored 51 of the 85 installments of The Federalist Papers, which were persuasive in securing its ratification by the states. As a delegate at the 1787 convention, Hamilton proposed that senators and the executive serve for life and that the executive have an absolute veto. He also served on committees on rules and style.
Hamilton's plan for the national government was for it to have unlimited power over the states. His plan had little impact on the convention, and the delegates instead framed a constitution that gave strong power to a federal government, which had a better chance of being accepted by the people. Hamilton was a major author of the Federalist Papers and played a role in creating the Constitution. He was also instrumental in the Constitution's ratification and subsequent interpretation when he led the collaboration with James Madison and John Jay on the Federalist Papers.
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Frequently asked questions
Alexander Hamilton was 32 years old when he signed the Constitution. He was born in 1755 or 1757 and was the only delegate from New York to sign the document.
Alexander Hamilton was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and a major author of the Federalist Papers. He also led the collaboration with James Madison and John Jay on the Federalist Papers, which were written to promote the ratification of the Constitution.
Alexander Hamilton believed in a strong central government for the new United States. He proposed that the government should establish a steady revenue stream by taxing imported goods and that the national government should have unlimited power over the states.
Alexander Hamilton is also known for being the first secretary of the treasury of the United States, where he set forth major economic policies. He also served as an aide-de-camp to General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War and founded the Bank of New York.
