Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow is a trove of historical information, finding its way into the national consciousness as the source material for the Broadway hit Hamilton. Through a great depth of research, author and historian Ron Chernow dives deep into the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, revealing biographical and contextual information not just about Hamilton, but also about the other founding fathers and the tumultuous times in which they lived. Alexander Hamilton is a biographical narrative read at all levels of education, from the national level to the university and all the way down to elementary school classrooms.
Alexander Hamilton was born in 1755, the son of a small-village trader and planter on Nevis Island in the Caribbean. Hamilton was a child of hardship who experienced every element of strife America experienced in its infancy - from tax injustice and a lack of basic education to poverty and the American Revolution. Through incredible perseverance mapped out in Chernow's book, he managed to rise in colonial America, gain entry into the Continental army, and by the age of 24 was a cherished lieutenant of George Washington during the Revolutionary War.
Alexander Hamilton garnered a reputation for his political prowess during the war, a skill which Barack Obama referred to as his "brilliance in the art of political calculation." His great vision and debate skills saw him shape the course of the war, eventually earning himself the position of Secretary of the Treasury. Throughout Chernow's book we learn of the intense and interesting political debates of the time, and the historical moments which led to the drafting of the Constitution and the Federalist Papers.
It is clear that Hamilton's approach to politics was not idealistic in the least, often taking extreme views and sparking intense debates amongst the founding fathers. Hamilton was very much in favor of a strong central government and favored a strong tie between business and government. Some of his views were seen as radical and ahead of their time, as he held in favor of such progressive topics as civil rights.
Alexander Hamilton's tenure as Secretary of Treasury was certainly controversial in many ways, yet his consistent devotion to the nation and undeniable brilliance as an economic leader and a negotiator made a great impression on the founding fathers. Although wary of Hamilton's ideas, they eventually accepted most of his proposals and applauded him for his effectiveness as Secretary.
Among his accomplishments as Secretary of Treasury were formulating a stable financial system, creating rules for civil government, advocating a federal system of taxation, and forming the Bank of the United States. He famously founded the US Mint and Treasury and single-handedly created the US Coast Guard for US-domestic safety. His greatest legacy of course, was that of trader, where he steered the deeply indebted nation to a prosperous future with an economy of remarkable growth.
Alexander Hamilton died in an infamous duel with Aaron Burr in 1804, something which a movie could never do justice. The tragedy of Hamilton's death still lives in America today, as there was much wonder in what Hamilton could have achieved had he lived another 10 to 20 years. However, the mark he left on the nation is something which can never be overshadowed, as the influence he wielded was so great that even hundreds of years later, he is remembered as one of the greatest figures of American history. His presence and impact will never be forgotten, and the understanding found in Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow serves as a tribute to Alexander Hamilton's life and to the history of the dawning of a new nation.
