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Alexander Hamilton

Explorer · ages 7 and underAdapted from Wikipedia
A full-length portrait of Alexander Hamilton, painted in 1792 by John Trumbull.

Who Was Alexander Hamilton?

Alexander Hamilton was an American leader and one of the Founding Fathers. The Founding Fathers were the people who helped start the United States. Historians remember him as a clever and very smart leader.

Early Life

Hamilton was born on the island of Nevis, in the Caribbean. He grew up in Charlestown, the main town on the island. When he was a boy, his mother passed away, and a kind merchant named Thomas Stevens gave him a home.

Hamilton loved to learn. He studied at King's College in New York City, which is now Columbia University. Even though he was young, he wrote many short papers that people read.

Helping a New Country

Hamilton worked closely with George Washington, who was the first president of the United States. In 1789, Washington chose Hamilton to be the first U.S. secretary of the treasury. Hamilton also helped start a political group called the Federalist Party.

Hamilton wrote 51 of the 85 essays in The Federalist Papers. These essays helped people understand the U.S. Constitution, which is still an important guide today.

A Famous Face Today

Hamilton's picture has been on the ten-dollar bill since 1928. He also became famous in a new way. A musical about his life, called Hamilton, opened in 2015. It was based on a book by Ron Chernow, and Lin-Manuel Miranda played Hamilton on stage.

Quiz time!

3 questions about Alexander Hamilton

Question 1 of 3

Where was Alexander Hamilton born?

Pictures

A gold ten-dollar coin from 1795 showing the Turban Head design and a small eagle on the reverse, designed by Robert Scot.
A painting of Alexander Hamilton wearing the uniform of the New York Artillery, created by artist Alonzo Chappel.
A painting showing Alexander Hamilton at a desk, working on an early draft of the United States Constitution in 1787.
A statue of Alexander Hamilton, sculpted by James Earle Fraser in 1922, stands outside the U.S. Treasury Building in Washington, D.C.
The First Bank of the United States building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, built in 1797 when Alexander Hamilton was Treasury Secretary.
A painting of the USRC Massachusetts, an early U.S. Revenue Cutter from the 1790s. It is a small topsail schooner steered by a tiller, the kind of vessel used to enforce customs laws along the coast.
The Great Falls of the Passaic River in Paterson, New Jersey, a powerful waterfall that helped power the city's early mills.
A miniature portrait of James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States, painted in Paris in 1794 by Louis Semé.
A painted portrait of Aaron Burr, who later in life faced political setbacks and money troubles. His thoughtful, far-off gaze is said to reflect those difficult years.
The tomb of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, in the churchyard of Trinity Church in New York City.
The front (obverse) of the 2021 series $10 Federal Reserve Note, showing its design and printed features.
A portrait of Thomas Jefferson, painted by Charles Willson Peale in 1791.
Lin-Manuel Miranda performing the title role in the musical Hamilton in April 2016

Keep exploring

United States
Columbia University
George Washington
List of presidents of the United States

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Alexander Hamilton, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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