Alexander Hamilton: “Opinion as to the Constitutionality of the Bank of the United States”

Alexander Hamilton was born on the island of Nevis, in the West Indies, on January 11, 1757, grew up in a port town, and was forced to work in a countinghouse at an early age. Realizing the lack of opportunity on the island, Hamilton moved to New York City, where he quickly rose through the financial ranks. He served as General Washington's aide-de-camp and private secretary during the American Revolution, as a member of the Continental Congress, and as a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention before becoming secretary of the treasury. To Hamilton, the future of America lay in commerce, progress, and development. After his retirement from office in 1795, he practiced law in New York City. He died July 12, 1804, from wounds sustained in a duel with Vice President Aaron Burr.