The Works of Alexander Hamilton: Volume 11 (Illustrated Edition)

Unfortunately, one of the best known aspects of Alexander Hamiltons (1755-1804) life is the manner in which he died, being shot and killed in a famous duel with Aaron Burr in 1804. But Hamilton became one of the most instrumental Founding Fathers of the United States in that time, not only in helping draft and gain support for the U.S. Constitution but in also leading the Federalist party and building the institutions of the young federal government as Washingtons Secretary of Treasury. One of the biggest battles was over the chartering of a national bank, a topic that seems trivial today given the size and scope of the federal government. At the founding, however, the Southern states and Thomas Jeffersons Democratic Party were skeptical of the necessity of a national bank, while Hamiltons Federalists insisted that it would help the nation pay off its debts and manage its finances. Eventually Hamilton won out, but the First U.S. Bank, located in Philadelphia, was nonetheless run by a private company, ensuring limits on government control. This edition of Hamiltons Works: Volume 11 covers the first 45 Federalist Papers, written by Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. The Federalist Papers sought to rally support for the Constitutions approval when those three anonymously wrote them, but for readers and scholars today they also help us get into the mindset of the Founding Fathers, including the Father of the Constitution himself. They also help demonstrate how men of vastly different political ideologies came to accept the same Constitution.