Alexander Hamilton is one of the most captivating figures in American history. The hit Broadway musical about his life renewed widespread interest in this influential Founding Father. But there‘s still plenty about Hamilton that many people don‘t know. Here are 15 fascinating facts about the man on the $10 bill:
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Hamilton was born out of wedlock in the Caribbean and became an orphan as a child. He was born on the island of Nevis to Rachel Faucette and James Hamilton, but his father abandoned the family and his mother died of fever when Alexander was just 11.
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As a teenager, Hamilton‘s precocious writing abilities caught the attention of local wealthy men, who pooled their resources to send him to America for an education. He arrived in New York as a 16-year-old in 1772 and soon enrolled in King‘s College (now Columbia University).
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In 1777, 22-year-old Hamilton became General George Washington‘s aide-de-camp and right-hand man. He served in this role for four years and was involved in planning military strategy. Later, Hamilton commanded a battalion during the pivotal Siege of Yorktown in 1781.
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As a champion of the U.S. Constitution, Hamilton authored 51 of the 85 Federalist Papers, which helped secure ratification. He tirelessly made the case for a strong federal government and centralized financial system.
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Appointed by Washington, Hamilton served as America‘s first Secretary of the Treasury from 1789 to 1795. He established a national bank, founded the U.S. Mint, and consolidated the new nation‘s debts.
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In 1791, Hamilton began an affair with 23-year-old Maria Reynolds that became public in 1797 in one of the first political sex scandals in U.S. history. He admitted to the relationship and his payments to Maria‘s husband James to cover it up.
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Hamilton‘s eldest son Philip died in a duel in 1801 at the age of 19, defending his father‘s honor against attacks by lawyer George Eacker. The duel took place in Weehawken, New Jersey, the same spot where Hamilton would later be shot.
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On July 11, 1804, Hamilton was mortally wounded in a legendary duel with his Vice President and political rival Aaron Burr in that same Weehawken location. He died the next day at the age of 47 or 49.
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Just three years later, Burr was arrested and tried for treason for his alleged role in a conspiracy to establish an independent country in North America. He was acquitted but his political career was destroyed.
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Hamilton is the only person featured on modern U.S. paper currency who was not a president. His portrait has appeared on the $10 bill since 1928.
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The wildly successful musical Hamilton premiered on Broadway in 2015, telling Hamilton‘s life story through hip-hop and R&B music. It won 11 Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
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Some recent research has suggested that Hamilton may have been of mixed race, with his mother possibly being of African and French Huguenot descent. Historians have also noted evidence that Hamilton had a Jewish background.
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Hamilton‘s New York home The Grange reopened in 2011 after a $14.5 million renovation and relocation. It had previously been moved twice from its original location as Hamilton Heights developed.
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A powder horn that belonged to Hamilton during his service in the Revolutionary War sold at auction in 2019 for $115,620. The horn featured his name as well as etched maps of Harlem Heights and Montreal.
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In January 2021, an exceedingly rare letter written by Hamilton in 1780 to the Marquis de Lafayette sold at auction for $310,000. In the letter, Hamilton asks for help from the French in defeating the British.
From his humble beginnings to his indelible impact on American government, Alexander Hamilton lived a truly remarkable life. While his story ended in tragedy, his legacy has endured for more than two centuries – and will likely fascinate us for many more.
