A Founding Father of the United States, Alexander Hamilton was an influential statesman and visionary. Fighting for America’s independence, he enlisted in a New York artillery unit and eventually rose through the ranks to become Lieutenant Colonel and one of General George Washington’s trusted advisors.

The details on this handpainted figurine are extraordinary.

Born in the West Indies and overcoming great adversity as a young man, Alexander Hamilton led a truly extraordinary life. After his parents died when he was a child, rich benefactors recognized his abilities and talent and sent him to New York City. He pursued a college education and soon joined the colonies' fight for independence from Great Britain. During the Revolutionary War, Hamilton became the senior aide to General George Washington. Following the war, Hamilton was an active participant of the Constitutional Convention and helped secure the Constitution's ratification through The Federalist Papers. He went on to establish the new nation’s financial system as the first Secretary of the Treasury; founded the Federalist Party; and created the U.S. Coast Guard. He died after an infamous duel on the banks of the Hudson River with Vice President Aaron Burr in 1804.

The National Archives, through its National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), has entered into a cooperative agreement with the University of Virginia Press to create the Founders Online site and make freely available online the historical documents of the Founders of the United States of America.

Through the Founders Online website, you will be able to read and search through thousands of records from George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison and see firsthand the growth of democracy and the birth of the Republic.