
Alexander Hamilton was a key advocate for the ratification of the US Constitution. As a lawyer, statesman, and founder of the Federalist Party, he was a strong supporter of a federal government to unite the 13 states. Hamilton wrote a series of essays, published in New York newspapers, which argued for the adoption of the federal Constitution. He also contributed to The Federalist Papers, a series of articles that argued for ratification of the new Constitution. Hamilton believed that the Constitution was 'better than nothing', particularly when compared to the Articles of Confederation that were then in effect.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Supported ratification | Hamilton was a Federalist |
| Advocate for strong central government | Hamilton was a strong advocate for the convention |
| Liked the resulting Constitution | Hamilton thought it was "better than nothing" |
| Urged every delegate to sign the document | Hamilton wrote essays arguing for ratification |
| Supreme logic and persuasive abilities | Hamilton was a lawyer |
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What You'll Learn

Hamilton's role as a Federalist
Alexander Hamilton was a key figure in the ratification of the US Constitution, and a founder of the Federalist Party. He was a lawyer and a statesman, and served as secretary of the Treasury under President George Washington.
Hamilton was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, but found that many of his ideas about how to structure a federal government were rejected. Despite this, he liked the resulting Constitution enough to become its chief advocate. He wrote a series of essays, first published in New York newspapers, that argued for ratification. He also co-authored The Federalist Papers with James Madison, a series of articles that argued for adoption of the federal Constitution.
Hamilton was a strong advocate for a federal government to unite the 13 states. He believed that the Constitution was better than the alternative, the Articles of Confederation, which were then in effect. He urged every delegate to sign the document, and his persuasive abilities proved critical in getting the Constitution ratified.
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Hamilton's views on federal power
Alexander Hamilton, a lawyer, statesman, and founder of the Federalist Party, was a strong advocate for the ratification of the Constitution. Hamilton believed in a strong federal government to unite the thirteen states. He was a leading contributor to The Federalist Papers, a series of articles arguing for the adoption of the federal Constitution. Hamilton's essays also argued that a bill of rights was unnecessary, as the new Constitution did not vest the federal government with power over these rights.
Hamilton's support for the ratification of the Constitution was not without opposition. Anti-Federalists feared that the document gave too much power to the federal government and worked to convince the states to reject it. However, Hamilton's persuasive abilities and logic proved critical in the end.
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Hamilton's economic programs
Alexander Hamilton (1755–1804) was a lawyer, statesman, and founder of the Federalist Party. He is remembered for his role in the formation and ratification of the Constitution, for his broad interpretations of federal power, and for the expansive economic programs he implemented as secretary of the Treasury under President George Washington.
Hamilton was one of the leading contributors to The Federalist Papers, a series of articles that argued for the adoption of the federal Constitution. He used these essays to argue that a bill of rights, including protections of freedom of speech and press, was unnecessary, as the new Constitution was not vesting the federal government with power over these rights.
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Hamilton's contributions to The Federalist Papers
Alexander Hamilton was a key advocate for the ratification of the US Constitution. He was a federalist and supported the formation of a strong federal government to unite the thirteen states. Hamilton was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, but some of his ideas about how to structure a federal government were rejected. Despite this, he liked the resulting Constitution enough to become its chief advocate.
Hamilton wrote the majority of the essays that argued most convincingly for ratification. These essays were first published as a series in New York newspapers, under the title The Federalist. Hamilton and James Madison were the leading contributors to The Federalist Papers, a series of articles that argued for the adoption of the federal Constitution.
Hamilton's essays were an attempt to persuade his fellow citizens to ratify the Constitution. He argued that a bill of rights, including protections of freedom of speech and press, was unnecessary, since the new Constitution was not vesting the federal government with power over these rights. Hamilton's persuasive abilities and logic proved critical in the ratification of the Constitution.
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Hamilton's persuasive abilities
Alexander Hamilton is remembered for his role in the formation and ratification of the Constitution, for his broad interpretations of federal power, and for the economic programs he implemented as secretary of the Treasury under President George Washington. Hamilton was a federalist and supported ratification. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, but some of his ideas about how to structure a federal government were rejected. Despite this, he liked the resulting Constitution enough to become chief advocate for its approval by the states. He wrote the bulk of the essays that argued most convincingly for ratification, which were published as a series in New York newspapers, under the title *The Federalist*.
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Frequently asked questions
Hamilton was a Federalist and supported ratification. He was a strong advocate for a federal government to unite the 13 states.
Hamilton wrote the bulk of the essays that argued most convincingly for ratification. These essays were first published as a series in New York newspapers, under the title The Federalist.
The Federalist was a collection of 85 articles and essays written under the pseudonym 'Publius' to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution.
Hamilton led the collaboration with James Madison and John Jay on The Federalist.
Hamilton thought the Constitution was "better than nothing", particularly when compared to the inadequate Articles of Confederation that were then in effect.

























