Alexander Hamilton An Economic Genius

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Alexander Hamilton is known to be one of “The Founding Fathers” of the United States. Hamilton was also the first appointed into cabinet as Secretary of Treasury, under the first President of the United States, George Washington. During Washington’s Presidential term, Hamilton became the author of the economic policies including a bill which took over the debt of states created by The Revolutionary War and implementing a National Bank. Many believe that Hamilton was a man of vision, but it was through his work that made him a man of economic genius. Alexander Hamilton was born out of wedlock on the West Indian Island of Nevis in January of 1755. The family did not have any sort of wealth. Hamilton also had an older brother James Hamilton. At only the age of nine, Hamilton’s father abandoned the family. Soon after when Hamilton was thirteen, his mother past away, leaving both children parentless. After their mother’s death, the boys were taken in by a cousin who committed suicide less than a year of caring for boys. As a teenager, Alexander worked as a clerk and apprentice at the counting house of Nicholas Cruger and David Beekman. In 1772, Hamilton entered King’s college now known as Columbia University. He also went to marry Elizabeth Schuyler, one of New York’s most wealthy and prominent daughters. Throughout his life career(s) he was a military officer, lawyer, financer, and a political theorist. Even though Hamilton had a rough childhood he succeeded in becoming an important historic figure. This bring us to our first question: Was Alexander Hamilton an Economic Genius? Historian John Steele Gordon says yes, Alexander Hamilton was indeed a genius. John Gordon claims that Hamilton’s policies for funding and taking over the debts of the states and having established a privately controlled Bank of the United

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