Alexander Hamilton

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Key People

John Adams

John Adams served as the first Vice President of the United States under George Washington from 1790 to 1796, and later became the second President of the United States from 1796 to 1800. He and Alexander Hamilton were bitter enemies.
Benedict Arnold

Benedict Arnold was an American military officer who defected to the British Army during the Revolutionary War. Hamilton tried to capture Arnold in New York, arriving minutes after Arnold escaped.
Aaron Burr

Aaron Burr served as Thomas Jefferson's Vice President from 1800 to 1804. Hamilton loathed Burr because he believed Burr was involved in politics only to benefit himself. When Burr ran for Governor of New York in 1804, Hamilton wrote a series of essays denouncing Burr. Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel. The two men fought on July 11, 1804, and Burr shot Hamilton once. Hamilton died from his wounds the next day.
George Clinton

George Clinton served for many years as the Governor of New York. He was Hamilton's primary political rival for many years.
Nicholas Cruger

Nicholas Cruger was a merchant on the island of St. Croix. The young Alexander Hamilton served as Cruger's clerk for a time during his teenage years. When Cruger realized that Hamilton possessed a keen intellect, he encouraged Alexander to attend college and receive an education.
Rachel Fawcett

Rachel Fawcett was Alexander Hamilton's mother. She left her first husband, the abusive John Lavien, and later met James Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton's father. Rachel died in 1768 from fever.
Citizen Genet

Citizen Genet was the French ambassador to the United States in the 1790s. Genet attempted to recruit American soldiers to fight for France in their wars in Europe and used American ports to launch French naval attacks against the British. Hamilton eventually convinced George Washington to expel Genet, but Genet feared reprisals in his own country and requested to remain in the United States.
James Hamilton, Sr.

James Hamilton, St. was Alexander Hamilton's father. He left Rachel and Alexander in 1766 after discovering that Rachel was still technically married to her husband John Lavien. Although Alexander never saw his father again, the two continued to write until James, Sr.'s death.
Philip Hamilton

Both Alexander Hamilton's first and last sons were named Philip. Hamilton's first son was shot to death in a duel at King's College at the age of nineteen. In honor of his firstborn, Hamilton christened his last child Philip as well.
John Jay

John Jay helped Alexander Hamilton write the Federalist Papers to convince the American people to ratify the new Constitution. In 1794, Jay traveled to Great Britain to represent the United States in settling several disputes between the two nations. Jay was also involved in the XYZ Affair when he went to Paris in 1797 to discuss terms of peace with France. He later became the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was Alexander Hamilton's chief political rival when they both served in George Washington's cabinet. They disagreed on how the Constitution should be interpreted. Jefferson later served as the third President of the United States.
Reverend Hugh Knox

The Reverend Hugh Knox was a Presbyterian minister on the island of St. Croix in the Caribbean. Knox and Nicholas Cruger encouraged Hamilton to attend college in the American colonies, and Knox even arranged an interview for Hamilton at the College of New Jersey, now known as Princeton University.
John Lansing

John Lansing, along with Robert Yates, worked against Hamilton at the Philadelphia Convention.
John Lavien

John Lavien was Rachel Fawcett's first and only husband. Together they had one son named Peter. When Rachel died, Lavien took all of her money and gave it to Peter without leaving any to help support the young Alexander Hamilton.
Charles Lee

Hamilton testified at the court-martial of American General Charles Lee for having disobeyed several of George Washington's direct military commands at the Battle of Monmouth. Hamilton's testimony helped convict Lee.
James Madison

James Madison helped Hamilton and John Jay author the Federalist Papers. He also served as Thomas Jefferson's Secretary of State and was later elected the fourth President of the United States.
James Monroe

James Monroe confronted Hamilton in 1792 with rumors of Hamilton's affair with Maria Reynolds. Hamilton convinced Monroe to keep the affair quite, but Monroe broke his word in 1797, forcing Hamilton to issue a public apology. Monroe served as a prominent member of Congress before eventually becoming the fifth President of the United States.
Maria Reynolds

Alexander Hamilton had an affair with Maria Reynolds in 1791 and 1792. The affair was made public by James Monroe in 1797.
Elizabeth Schuyler

Hamilton married Betsey Schuyler, the daughter of a prominent American general, in 1780. The couple had eight children altogether.
Robert Troup

Robert Troup attended King's College with Hamilton. The two served together in the King's College volunteer militia and Troup later helped Hamilton prepare to become a lawyer in New York City.
George Washington

George Washington served as the commander-in-chief of the United States Army and Navy during the Revolutionary War. Washington later served as the first President of the United States. Hamilton and Washington were close friends, and Washington often relied upon Hamilton's wisdom and judgment.
John Witherspoon

John Witherspoon was the president of the College of New Jersey when Hamilton applied to the school in the 1770s. In 1776, Witherspoon also signed the Declaration of Independence.
Robert Yates

Robert Yates helped John Lansing derail Hamilton's influence at the Philadelphia Convention.

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