1757-1804. US politician who influenced the
adoption of a constitution with a strong
central government and was the first
secretary of the treasury 1789-95. He led the
Federalist Party, and incurred the bitter
hatred of Aaron Burr when he voted against
Burr and in favour of Thomas Jefferson for
the presidency in 1801. Hamilton, born in the
West Indies, served during the Amercian
Revolution as captain and 1777-81 was George
Washington's secretary and aide-de-camp.
After the war he practised as a lawyer. He
was a member of the Constitutional Convention
of 1787, and in the Federalist influenced
public opinion in favour of the ratification
of the constitution. He was a strong advocate
of the wealthy urban sector of American life
and encouraged renewed ties with Britain,
remaining distrustful of revolutionary
France. As the first secretary of the
treasury, he proved an able controller of the
national finances. Challenged to a duel by
Aaron Burr, Hamilton was wounded, and died
the next day.