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Essay about alexander hamilton
Alexander hamilton importance to u.s. history
Alexander hamilton importance to u.s. history
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The Broadway musical, Hamilton, is a tale of Lin Manuel Miranda’s vision of the past America. The protagonist, Alexander Hamilton, undergoes a numerous number of encounters on his and his nation’s path to prosperity. Another significant character, Aaron Burr, Hamilton’s mentor, is a prestige revolutionary who experienced many vicissitudes that impacted himself, his family, and his country. Throughout history, the American government has been looked up to in an illustrious sense. It has the need to form crucial decisions and act at a deep, spontaneous level. There is a significant amount of pressure on the leaders of any country to defend, preserve, and protect the country's rights, freedoms, and the Constitution. Some would say that it is …show more content…
To a vast majority of the people involved in the government at the time, Burr was an idol, a guru to look up to. At one point, early on in his career, an immigrant orphan named Hamilton came to his feet to ask for assistance as he was struggling with carrying out his goals. Hamilton always idolized Burr just as many others who had been taken under his wing. Hamilton found his attributes as a revolutionary, scholar, fellow orphan, and a success to be the driving force which encouraged him to approach Burr for help. He came to Burr in desperation and said that he “wanted to do what you did. Graduate in two, then join the revolution . . . I’m not stupid. So how’d you do it? How’d you graduate so fast? . . . You’re an orphan?! Of course! I’m an orphan. God, I wish there was a war! Then we could prove that we’re worth more . .” (Miranda 23). Hamilton came ‘begging like a dog’ for all the wisdom and knowledge of Burr. The fact that Burr was such an important person in the revolution and had people looking up to his abilities, achievements, etc. leads me to feel closely related to him. In my life, I never grew up with any of Hamilton’s struggles. Although I come from an immigrant family, I am very privileged and I tried to make the best use of that. I studied using the proper resources as much as I could and I always excelled in my activities as a kid. Although things may be different …show more content…
He feared failure and didn’t want to “throw away his shot,” (Miranda 26) so he decided to concentrate his anger and his effort in vain on a poor disciple who did all he could to bring his country to prosperity. Burr was running for president as well as Jefferson. Neither of the them were large supporters of Hamilton but they could appreciate his thoughts and work to some extent. Despite Hamilton’s shortcomings, the common folk found it in themselves to support Hamilton. He still had many supporters and his endorsement would have been able to make or break the election for the candidates. In the end, Hamilton endorsed Jefferson thus guaranteeing the presidency for Jefferson. In hindsight, Burr felt shamed, ruined his reputation, and realized that the world was a large enough place for Hamilton and his ego. In the midst of his anger he blatantly said that Hamilton,” endorse[d] Thomas Jefferson, his enemy . . . Just to keep me from winning” (Miranda 266). This shows the built up tension and anger being released in a few words by Burr. Afterwards he funneled this anger and challenges Hamilton to a duel. Burr recklessly decided to,”slaughter. This man will not make an orphan of my daughter. . . Look him in the eye, aim no higher. Summon all the courage you require . . ‘Burr fires a shot’” (Miranda 273). This shows that he let Hamilton and his views get the best of him. All joking aside,
This year’s last word in speeches was first presented in 1790. In August of 2015, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hip-hop musical Hamilton (as in founding father Alexander) opened on Broadway. One of the musical’s most memorable moments, “Cabinet Battle #1,” includes arguments from both Hamilton — then Secretary of the Treasury — and his frequent political rival, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, persuading Congress to vote for or against Hamilton’s proposal of a national bank. For its presentation to an assembly and consideration of the most advantageous course of action, “Cabinet Battle #1” is a pair of deliberative speeches. They’re also, by the way, a rap battle. Though the speeches’ content is rooted in centuries past and the delivery is timestamped with today, the rhetorical strategies defined by Aristotle are as present in Miranda’s lyrics as they would have been in Jefferson
In the book Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis, the author relates the stories of six crucial historic events that manage to capture the flavor and fervor of the revolutionary generation and its great leaders. While each chapter or story can be read separately and completely understood, they do relate to a broader common theme. One of Ellis' main purposes in writing the book was to illustrate the early stages and tribulations of the American government and its system through his use of well blended stories. The idea that a republican government of this nature was completely unprecedented is emphasized through out the book. Ellis discusses the unique problems that the revolutionary generation experienced as a result of governing under the new concept of a democracy. These problems included- the interpretation of constitutional powers, the regulation of governmental power through checks and balances, the first presidential elections, the surprising emergence of political parties, states rights vs. federal authority, and the issue of slavery in a otherwise free society. Ellis dives even deeper into the subject by exposing the readers to true insight of the major players of the founding generation. The book attempts to capture the ideals of the early revolutionary generation leaders and their conflicting political viewpoints. The personalities of Hamilton, Burr, Adams, Washington, Madison, and Jefferson are presented in great detail. Ellis exposes the reality of the internal and partisan conflict endured by each of these figures in relation to each other. Ellis emphasizes that despite these difficult hurdles, the young American nation survived its early stages because of its great collection of charismatic leaders and their ability to ...
This is where Hamilton dies, but actually both of the participants were casualties because Hamilton died, but was honored by the people and the government. However, Burr lost everything such as his reputation, and his position. Major mistakes that come from Burr and Hamilton was when Burr betrayed Jefferson when he was running his second term by switching political parties Jefferson's enemy Federalists which made Hamilton to say that he's despicable. Burr is too ambitious and desperate when it comes to politics like Jefferson. Hamilton in other hand was an arrogant. He insults Burr periodically, which made Burr to lose his position and reputation by publicly. In conclusion, by starting with a violent clash between Hamilton and Burr, establishes that the stakes for which these men had learned to debate one another. The end of this chapter did end in violent death, but the reader now understands that the author views these relationships as fiery and passionate although they were flawed by destroying their friendship, lives, and careers by insulting, killing, debating, and betraying one another, but they all failed to achieve their full aspirations due to their flawed
Hamilton uses fears of past despotism in monarchies and encroachments in representative bodies to persuade people to see that this essential law of good behavior “is the best expedient which can be devised in any government to secure a steady, upright, and impartial administration of the laws.” (Hamilton.Jay.Madison 100)
Before being tried for treason, Burr was the vice president in the first Jefferson Administration and he killed his rival Alexander Hamilton in a duel that ultimately destroyed any chance of Burr continuing in politics. As a result, Burr started to accumulate men and supplies as he led expeditions out West near Spanish territories to start anew and rebuild his name. However, because his intentions were made unclear and one of his co-conspirators, General Wilkinson,
In fact it is kind of funny that they hated each other due to all of their similarities. They were both lawyers and politicians in New York. Hamilton considered Burr an unprincipled rogue and tried to take away from him everything he tried to achieve. It wasn’t a hidden fact that Hamilton hated Burr whenever he could get the chance to Hamilton would speak ill of him. Especially when Burr was running for vice president, Hamilton launched a series of public attacks against Burr and would try his hardest to make everyone hate him. Even Jefferson who was Burr’s partner in the elections grew apart from him and did not support his re-nomination to a second term. The same year a few of New York Federalists who had found that they had lost money after Jefferson’s ascendances that they decided to bring Burr into their party and elect him governor. Of course Hamilton would not stand for this so he fought tooth and nail to try and get it not to happen and he won. Burr lost the election and was livid with Hamilton. This wasn’t the only time something like this had happened though. When Burr lost the election to Hamilton’s father-in-law after 6 years in the senate he was pretty upset. In fact he actually blamed Hamilton saying that if he hadn’t said all those horrible things about him in public Burr could of won. As you can imagine Burr wanted to restore his name and he knew exactly what had to happen to do that. He challenged Hamilton to a duel or more well known at that time as an “affair of
This four-page undergraduate paper discusses the opposition that American leaders encountered after the Revolution, as a result of deciding to form a central government. The states feared that such a government would suppress them and would interfere with their internal affairs. Consequently, heated debates and uprisings characterize this period, which started with the framing of Articles in 1777 and ended with the final adoption of the United States constitution in 1787.
During and after the turmoil of the American Revolution, the people of America, both the rich and the poor, the powerful and the meek, strove to create a new system of government that would guide them during their unsure beginning. This first structure was called the Articles of Confederation, but it was ineffective, restricted, and weak. It was decided to create a new structure to guide the country. However, before a new constitution could be agreed upon, many aspects of life in America would have to be considered. The foremost apprehensions many Americans had concerning this new federal system included fear of the government limiting or endangering their inalienable rights, concern that the government’s power would be unbalanced, both within its branches and in comparison to the public, and trepidation that the voice of the people would not be heard within the government.
Aaron Burr was born in Newark New Jersey on February 6, 1756, and Burr was educated at what is now Princeton University. Burr joined the Continental Army in 1775, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Burr was appointed attorney general of New York in 1789 and served as a United States senator from 1791 to 1797 (Onager CD-ROM). In the Election of 1800, Aaron Burr was the running mate of Republican candidate Thomas Jefferson. Although Burr was running for vice-president, he received as many votes as Jefferson did, and the House of Representatives chose Jefferson as president. After Burr’s term as vice-president was over and he lost the race for the governorship of New York, Burr fought Alexander Hamilton in a duel in Weekawhen, New Jersey, on July 11,1804. Aaron Burr killed his political rival, Alexander Hamilton, and his credibility as a politician in that duel. Shortly after the duel, Aaron Burr became involved in a plot known as the Burr Conspiracy. After the scheme was discovered by Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr was arrested for treason. Burr was acquitted after a six-month trial on September 1, 1807.
Have you ever wondered what Alexander Hamilton would be able to accomplish if he had not been killed by Aaron Burr? Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers, was a talented man who achieved many things during his lifetime. Therefore, it is no surprise that he could attain a higher position in the office and even become a president. In fact, with him being a president, many events could be changed, including the War of 1812, the slavery system, and even the size of the country.
Aaron Burr is known as the Father of modern political campaigning. He was successful in procuring a victory for his slate of New York City and Electors over Alexander Hamilton's Federalist slate. This event further damaged the relationship between former friends, Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Burr with the assistance of members of Tammany Hall, began petitioning votes. He even went so far as to supply a means of transportation for voters on election day. He won the day and was then added to the Democratic-Republican presidential ticket in the 1800 election alongside Jefferson. With seventy-three electoral votes each, Burr and Jefferson tied for the presidency.
During the construction of the new Constitution, many of the most prominent and experienced political members of America’s society provided a framework on the future of the new country; they had in mind, because of the failures of the Articles of Confederation, a new kind of government where the national or Federal government would be the sovereign power, not the states. Because of the increased power of the national government over the individual states, many Americans feared it would hinder their ability to exercise their individual freedoms. Assuring the people, both Alexander Hamilton and James Madison insisted the new government under the constitution was “an expression of freedom, not its enemy,” declaring “the Constitution made political tyranny almost impossible.” (Foner, pg. 227) The checks and balances introduced under the new and more powerful national government would not allow the tyranny caused by a king under the Parliament system in Britain. They insisted that in order achieve a greater amount of freedom, a national government was needed to avoid the civil unrest during the system under the Articles of Confederation. Claiming that the new national government would be a “perfect balance between liberty and power,” it would avoid the disruption that liberty [civil unrest] and power [king’s abuse of power in England] caused. The “lackluster leadership” of the critics of the new constitution claimed that a large land area such as America could not work for such a diverse nation.
The play Hamilton tells of Hamilton’s prolific writing achievements, his written thoughts about the duel with Aaron Burr, and
The very history of the country, a major contributor to the evolution of its political culture, shows a legacy of democracy that reaches from the Declaration of Independence through over two hundred years to today’s society. The formation of the country as a reaction to the tyrannical rule of a monarchy marks the first unique feature of America’s democratic political culture. It was this reactionary mindset that greatly affected many of the decisions over how to set up the new governmental system. A fear of simply creating a new, but just as tyrannic...
Wilson makes a comparison between the government systems of America and Europe and his intentions were not necessarily for America to do the same as Europe, but for us to explore and research other governments and public administrations, so that we can analyze and master our own. It is questionable why other governments have been more successful with certain matters than our own here in America. Wilson expresses relevant concerns and arguments that government systems should be further studied and improved as, it is crucial and ultimately beneficial to the nation and it’s