Alexander Hamilton is arguably the most important figure in American history who never attained the presidency. He was the principal designer of the federal government and the leading catalyst for the two-party system. He was the aide-de-camp for George Washington, a battlefield hero, a member of the Constitutional Convention, the leading author of The Federalist Papers and first treasury secretary. The core book, Alexander Hamilton, is written by Ron Chernow and provides a comprehensive portrait of Hamilton’s life and record of contributions. Hamilton figured prominently in almost every major political episode of the late-eighteenth-century America. There are very few issues of the current day that can be fully understood without an understanding of the structures and ideas put in place by Hamilton.
Weekly Topics
1. Introduction, birth, childhood, education. Prologue and Chapters 1 and 2.
2. Military education, early involvement with Washington, Valley Forge. Chapters 3, 4 and 5.
3. Washington's staff, meeting Elizabeth Schuyler, early economic thinking, Yorktown. Chapters 6 and 7.
4. Young lawyer, birth of children, George Clinton, the Constitution. Chapters 8, 9 and 10.
5. Publius writings, battle over the Constitution, Secretary of the Treasury. Chapters 11 and 12.
6. Thomas Jefferson, Philadelphia, Bank of the United States. Chapters 13 and 14.
7. Financial panics, feuds with Jefferson and Madison, rise of political parties, early feud with Aaron Burr. Chapters 15, 16 and 17.
8. Citizen Genet, Washington's second term, yellow fever epidemic, investigation of theTreasury Department. Chapters 18, 19 and 20.
9. Troubles with England and France, Whiskey Tax, Jay Treaty. Chapters 21, 22, 23 and 24.
10. Washington's Farewell address, John Adams, Callender expose. Chapters 25, 26, 27 and 28.
11. More troubles with France, General Hamilton, Burr feuds with Hamilton. Chapters 29, 30, 31, and 32.
12. Confrontation with Adams, Federalist defeat in NYC, feud with Adams intensifies. Chapters 33, 34, 35, and 36.
13. Jefferson and Burr tie for President, involvement in New York governor's race, Burr attempts New York comeback. Chapters 37, 38, 39, and 40.
14. Hamilton and Burr's attempted comeback, a duel is set, the duel, Burr after the duel, Eliza and aftermath, Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton as a cultural phenomenon. Chapters 41, 42, 43 and Epilogue.
Bibliography
Core Text: Chernow, Ron, Alexander Hamilton, Penguin Books, 2005
Other Related Texts:
Chernow, Ron, Washington: A Life, Penguin Books, 2010
Ferling, John, Jefferson and Hamilton: The Rivalry That Forged a Nation, Bloomsbury Press, 2013
McCullough, David, John Adams, Simon and Schuster, 2001
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton - The Musical