preview

How Did Alexander Hamilton Influence The Government

Decent Essays

Alexander Hamilton is one of the most influential figures in early American history. Hamilton was first secretary of the treasury appointed by George Washington himself. He was also the center figure of the Federalist Party, believing in a strong and powerful central government. Because he was the secretary of the treasury, he held great power towards both domestic and foreign policies. The most famous policy he was known for establishing was Hamilton’s Program. The program was multi-stepped and was designed to create a strong national government. Alexander Hamilton was one of the figureheads of the Federalist Party. This political party believed in strengthening the federal powers of the American government in order to create a …show more content…

Hamilton wanted the federal government to get more involved with the debt. He wanted the government to start paying out the bonds that Congress had issued during the war. Next, he wanted the federal government to assume, or take on, the state’s debt. This would be accomplished by loans to the state and bondholders that would eventually be compensated in the future. By doing this, the national government would intentionally accumulate a large debt that would be nearly impossible to pay off. Hamilton hoped this would cause the influential demographics of America to become more interested in the survival of the government since their wealth would be tied to it. In order to facilitate the distribution of bonds, Hamilton wanted to create a national bank. This bank would serve as a center for storing the federal treasury, distributing loans, and provide government control over the banking system in America. In order to help finance the interest from loans, Hamilton wanted to enact two new taxes. The first was a tax on making alcohol that would mainly be paid out by small farmers that made whisky on the side. The second tax was to be applied on imports. This tax would not only fund the program but also encourage domestic manufacturing. As a federalist, Hamilton believed America needed to establish a strong manufacturing industry In order to compete in international …show more content…

While many did not oppose that the federal government take on the debt of the states, many opposed the way it was to be tackled. Since most of the original bondholders sold off their bonds to speculators, some proposed that both the original and the new owner should be reimbursed. In the end, only the speculator was to receive payment.
Each state had a different amount of debt. Some had more than others. If the federal government was to assume the states’ debt, then the states with less debt would be forced to take on the larger debt of other states. Virginia, which owned less debt than other states, had to be persuaded into accepting the program. Per agreement between Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, the capital city of America was to be established in Virginia in exchange for support in the Program. The idea of the national bank created the most opposition on the plan. Many believed that the national government did not have the right to create a bank because it was not stated specifically in the Constitution. Hamilton countered arguing that the Constitution implied the power when it stated the national government has the power to regulate commerce. In the end, George Washington accepted it as

Get Access