Alexander Hamilton's Social Impact

Words: 797
Pages: 4
Open Document
The founding fathers of the United States created a framework from which the country was intended to follow. Yet in the early years of the Union the gaps and question the founders left unanswered in this framework, or Constitution, were tasked to the early political leaders and influencers of their time, leaders like Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton. The decisions by these early political leaders, leaders would lead to the establishment of precedent, many of which still exist today, with tangible effects. The economic policies of Hamilton left political impacts, such as, precedent to how the Constitution was interpreted, economic impacts like the National Bank, and social impacts which led to an increase in sectionalism.
Hamilton's …show more content…
One of the sectional lines which was drawn was that between the North and the South. Hamilton’s economic plans rested on the loose contrusctionalist view of the Constitution, and were heavily tied to the promotion of big government and manufacturing. The highest concentration of manufaturers and big-governemnt supporters were in the North. The highest concentration of farmers and small-government supporters, groups not benefiting from Hamilton’s plans, were in the South. As time passed, it became more apparent that the economic policies of Alexander Hamilton were built to award special interest. The private wealthy elite that invested in the banks were also had strong political sway. This was discomforting to average citizens and farmers whom became subject to the laws of these banks and elites. An rich versus poor dichotomy was growing in America. This was best seen by the circumstances which led to the Whiskey Rebellion. Angry West Pensslavanians, revolted after an excise tax of whiskey was placed. This tax was a direct product of weathly elite, Alexander Hamiltion, imposing their own views and agenda on the poor. While this rebellion was quickly put down it revealed larger tensions within the United States. Overall, Hamilton’s economic policies antagonized the North-South and Rich-Poor relations developing the sectionalism that would lead to the Civil
Show More

Related Documents: Alexander Hamilton's Social Impact

Annotated Bibliography: The Cultural Impact Of Alexander Hamilton

Annotated Bibliography: “The Cultural Impact of Alexander Hamilton” Ambrose, Douglas, and Robert W. T. Martin. The Many Faces of Alexander Hamilton: The Life And Legacy of America's Most Elusive Founding Father. New York: New York University Press, 2006. Print. Douglas and Martin’s Book on Alexander Hamilton provides a in depth authoritative perspective on the “elusive” nature of Alexander Hamilton that differs greatly from other sources; to elaborate the novel is able to utilize various historical…

Words 1026 - Pages 5

Alexander Hamilton Analysis

From his birth on the island of Nevis to an unwed mother, to his death in the legendary Hamilton-Burr duel, Alexander Hamilton’s life (1755-1804) is surrounded by mythic stories and rich anecdotal folklore. Many wonder who the true Hamilton was, and in Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton, truth is separated from fiction in a hefty 832-page account. Using a journalistic lens, Chernow deftly breaks down the life of one of the most controversial founding fathers in bite size pieces, in the end leaving…

Words 1910 - Pages 8

How Did Hamilton Influence The Federal Government

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson had fierce debates over the federal government and the future economy of the developing United States of America. They both had very different views on how the newly forming country should be developed. In this time period, there were only two political parties, the Federalists, and the Democratic-Republicans. Hamilton was the leader of the Federalists, as Jefferson was the leader of the Democratic-Republicans. Through their debates, they both helped define…

Words 1008 - Pages 5

The Federalist Papers: The French Revolution And Alexander Hamilton

James Madison and Alexander Hamilton. Madison’s piece was “The Federalist Papers: No. 10” and Hamilton’s piece was the “Report on Manufactures.” The two men had different ideas on how the government should interact with “factions” and markets. Hamilton took a more authoritarian position that the government has the moral and ethical responsibility to create or sustain markets that may be anemic. This is demonstrated in the closing paragraph of Hamilton piece when he states, “but…

Words 884 - Pages 4

Essay on The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It

Great American Political Thinkers In the year of 1776, the United States became an independent country. At that moment, the great men who fought for its independence began to create the government and shape American politics. In Richard Hofstadter's The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It, he identifies twelve of the most influential men and the political traditions they created, including the Founding Fathers who started it all. Additionally, Hofstadter informs the reader of other…

Words 7046 - Pages 29