Our Founding Father Alexander Hamilton
was shot and killed in a duel
by Vice President Aaron Burr.
Hamilton was a revolutionary war hero and leading architect of the new American government. He co-authored the Federalist Papers, considered one of the most important contributions to American political thought. As Washington's right-hand man and the first US Secretary of the Treasury, he formulated an economic policy that got the then-new nation on its feet.
Aaron Burr was a colonel in the Continental Army and briefly served - as Hamilton did - with Washington at Valley Forge. In the election of 1800, he was in a deadlock with Thomas Jefferson for the presidency, with 73 votes each. The election went to the House of Representatives to be decided. There, the Federalist votes kept the election deadlocked until the 36th ballot, when Hamilton's influence gave the presidency to Jefferson. Burr, a Republican, became Vice President.
Many at the time thought that the political mudslinging of Burr by Hamilton may have cost him the election. The animosity between the two men would continue until July 1804 when Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel, and as was customary, was accepted.
The fateful day came on July 11, 1804 at Weehawken, New Jersey. Vice President Aaron Burr and former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton faced off, and Hamilton was mortally wounded. He was dragged from the duelling area and died the next day. While the nation mourned, Burr returned to complete his term as vice president but his success in the duel proved to be to his detriment. There was some talk of murder charges being brought against him, but as the rules of the duel were followed, no indictment was carried forward. He would later go on to be charged for treason for his ill-fated attempt to establish his own empire in the South.
More Info
Did you know that our $10.00 Bill
has small TEN's located in the large 10.
Founding Father
Alexander Hamilton
(1757-1804) First Secretary of
the Treasury, advocate of strong national government, member of the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention, co-author of the Federalist
Papers, proposed Bank of the U.S., helped create Federalist Party
Vice President
Aaron Burr,
(1756-1836), American politician and adventurer. Dynamic and ambitious, he built a strong political following and rose to the office of
VICE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES (1801-1805)
Three Questions
1. Who is the man on the $10.00 bill?
Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.
2. What does July 11th, have to do with him?
Was his fateful day.
3. How did he die?
Read below for the answer !
