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
Alexander Hamilton was the most interesting figure in the American Revolution because he contributed many ideas that formed the America that we live in today. He was on on January 11, 1755. He started working at the age of 11 due to a rough childhood and history of father figures in his life. His mother was left twice by her husband and Alexanders’ father. They had no money and no other family so Alexander worked to support them both. His first job was working as a clerk in an accounting firm. His hard work inspired his boss and helped send him to get an education. When he was just 17, he wrote his first political article that sparked popularity for him. As the Revolutionary War started he enrolled and was made George Washington’s
Another thing that Hamilton had done was fight through the revolution as George Washington's right hand man and he was able to, after fighting, fund the nation's federal debt. The writer states “great achievement was funding the federal debt at face value, which rectified and nationalized the financial chaos inherited from the Revolution” (history.com Para. 5). We can tell that he fought through the war, risking his life to help America and eventually help America, even more, afterwards. After going through a tough life so far he was able to also become the nation's first Secretary of Treasury, which deals with the nation's debt and credit which he helped create. It states in the article “As secretary of the treasury” (history.com Para. 5). This just simply shows that he was able to become the Treasurer. Hamilton in total was a very good man, nevertheless, he had cheated on his wife and kinda caused the death of his son helped form America and is very awesome.
3. What was Hamilton’s plan for debt reconciliation? Hamilton suggested funding the debt by selling government bonds, and further proposed that state debts be assumed by the national government. Why was Madison opposed to it? Madison believed that Hamilton's plan "was betraying the ideas of the American Revolution."
George Washington had recognized Hamilton’s leadership abilities and promoted him as Lieutenant Colonel. He was also an innovator of military design, where he designed reports on the defects and how there could be improvement in the military. While Hamilton was working as an adviser for Washington, Hamilton had come to realize the Congress' weaknesses, including jealousy between states, which he believed came from the Articles of Confederation (http://www.ushistory.org/). In 1782, Hamilton was convinced that establishing a strong central government was the key to achieving America’s independence.
Gordon sums up the American economic history in six chapters of his book. He explains that the United States had taken on huge debts following to the American Revolution. In order to pay such debts back, Hamilton created the federal bank and convinced the Congress to issue federal bonds. This way the federal government could make interest payments on time, build credit and keep the inflation from rising. Hamilton thought that the national debt could be a useful tool in order to create capital for the new industries. In his book, Gordon also recalls that soon after the 1812 War the seventh President of the United States cleared the government debts thanks to surpluses deriving from high tariffs. Then, he explains that the introduction of the first Federal income tax in America during the Civil Was turned out to be crucial in order to investigate how to distribute the tax
The Federalist Party was mostly made up of well-educated people such as merchants, bankers and manufacturers. According to historian Eric Foner, Hamilton’s “long term goal was to make the United States a major commercial and military power,” Hamilton used Great Britain as a model of economic development, and greatly stressed the importance of government aid in manufacturing, trade, and commerce. As stated by Foner, “Hamilton’s program called for the creation of a Bank of the United States, modeled on the Bank of England, to serve as the nation’s main financial agent.” His plan was to create a private back with the goal of creating a common currency. Lastly, Hamilton and the Federalists distrusted the common people and believed that they were ignorant and incapable of self-rule. Therefore, a strong central
Since raising revenue in the United States was one of the first economic issues the Federalists were up against, a solution to national debt had to be found and agreed upon. During the Federalist’s struggle, James Madison was a federalist who was
Alexander Hamilton, the Secretary of Treasury, proposed a plan that the federal government pay both the foreign and domestic debt acquired by the former central government and take over the states' war debts as well. Hamilton was a leader of the Federalists, those who envisioned a strong national government with centralized authority, a complex commercial economy and a proud standing in world affairs. He believed that a financially reliable and responsible government would improve
Before the Revolutionary War had occurred, many people were coming to the new colonies to start a new life; one of the people was Alexander Hamilton. He had come to the colonies after impressing people in the Caribbean and who then sent him to America to get a better education (“Alexander Hamilton”). Hamilton was an important figure in American history, but very few today remember who he was and what he did. Alexander Hamilton took a stand against traditional government by writing against and battling the British, fighting for the new U.S. Treasury, and arguing for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
After the Revolutionary War the United States had a massive debt to deal with, but because of the Articles of Confederation the federal government could not raise taxes to pay off the debt (Blake). States were responsible
Hamilton was a Federalist who believed in a strong, central government with a national bank. He also wanted to make alliances with Britain (Davis 86).
In 1789, Congress made up three departments in the executive branch of government. Two groups comprised in the Judiciary act with the act it established a Federal court with 13 district courts/three circuit courts serve the nation. Hamilton proposed that a new government pay’s off the millions of dollars in debts owed by Confederation government to other countries and individual Americans. Hamilton thought that the federal payment of states debts would give the states a strong interest in the success of the national government. When the government had to borrow money during American Revolution, it had issued bonds--paper notes promising to repay the money in a certain length of time. Original bond owners felt betrayed by the government because they had lost money on their bonds while new bond owners profited. Hamilton agreed to a proposal from Southern leaders to locate the new nation’s capital in South after moving to Philadelphia while workmen prepared the new city for the federal government. In 1790 revenue from tariffs provided 90 percent of the national government’s income.
Federalist’s views on economy were based off internal and foreign connections. Internally, Hamilton’s economic plan included three main parts- paying off all war debts, raising government taxes, and creating a national bank. This plan would result in the nation’s debt, which was a result of the Revolution, being paid in full by the wealthier states paying states debts for the poorer states. This was not accepted because the richer southern states disagreed to pay for the poorer northern states. Another plan by Hamilton was to tax farmer who made alcohol, resulting in funds to pay off the nations debt. Most of these farming citizens where part of the opposing Republican Party who strongly disagreed with the new tax causing the Whiskey Rebellion. Internationally, Hamilton wanted a strong economic relationship with Great Britain. He developed the Jay Treaty that insured a diplomatic agreement from peaceful trading with Britain. The Jay Treaty included decisions of debt payments, country boundaries, and Britain occupation of forts in newly independent America. Hamilton believed in a strong central economy that was aided by foreign affairs and national strength.
Hamilton wanted to increase the nation’s wealth so he used the federal government's power to promote trade, manufacturing, and business. For instance, the Federalists helped them pay back all the war debts by telling the government that if they did not pay back their debts then they would lose all their respect at home and abroad. From Hamilton helping pay off the debts of the war he promoted business, and trade to the government because they know he meant business. To increase the nation’s wealth they had to pay off the debts from the war.
Alexander Hamilton, though, worked for a more complex economic system. He planned out a national debt, public credit, a national bank and a plan to pay off the debts the nation had accrued. He advocated to accept the old debts of the Articles of Confederation, war debts, and state debts under his economic policy because it gives the government some legitimacy, and it allows for the government to obtain credit from other countries easily.