To graduate from college at age 17 is a remarkable thing to have on a resume. Add in military service for a few years, and then a bit of time as a successful attorney, and it's a life others could envy. So much success at an early age might give one lofty ambitions. Such as, perhaps, becoming President of the USA.
Aaron Burr made it to Vice-President, and then had a duel with Alexander Hamilton in 1804.
Hamilton didn't lack ambition either. He figured strongly in the fledgling country's government, and was the first Secretary of the Treasury. Few have ever questioned Hamilton's financial acumen, and when one did, he responded with pages and pages of detailed records which proved his responsibility.
Hamilton's life is an interesting story as well, and the reading of his biography gave me something to think about for days. But his life had a tragic ending.
During the duel with Burr, Hamilton probably deloped--shot his pistol into the air. Burr's shot went into Hamilton's stomach. Hamilton knew he wouldn't survive his wound. In fact, he asked them not to tell his wife, realizing she wouldn't take the news of his injury well. Their son had also been killed in a duel. The wife did react strongly. Hamilton had her removed from his bedside.
Burr, who'd started life with so much promise, was now wanted for murder. Hamilton who'd spent his early years in the West Indies without a father in his life, and who'd managed to rise to prominence in the political arena of the new country, had made one fatal error.
Nothing truly came of the murder charges against Burr, nor the later machinations by Burr that could be considered by some as treason. Burr wanted to get control of the state of Louisiana and conspired with a foreign government in an attempt to accomplish his goal.
In the end, Burr still managed to come out on top, or at least, not as far down in the heap as he might have deserved.
He died at the age of 80, shortly after his marriage to a wealthy woman. The marriage hadn't worked out well for him either and was basically over at the time of his death. She thought he was trying to take control of her funds. Her opinion was probably justified.
It's likely US history would have been dramatically different if the Vice President's bullet had missed its mark.
In terms of history, Hamilton won.
Aaron Burr made it to Vice-President, and then had a duel with Alexander Hamilton in 1804.
Hamilton didn't lack ambition either. He figured strongly in the fledgling country's government, and was the first Secretary of the Treasury. Few have ever questioned Hamilton's financial acumen, and when one did, he responded with pages and pages of detailed records which proved his responsibility.
Hamilton's life is an interesting story as well, and the reading of his biography gave me something to think about for days. But his life had a tragic ending.
During the duel with Burr, Hamilton probably deloped--shot his pistol into the air. Burr's shot went into Hamilton's stomach. Hamilton knew he wouldn't survive his wound. In fact, he asked them not to tell his wife, realizing she wouldn't take the news of his injury well. Their son had also been killed in a duel. The wife did react strongly. Hamilton had her removed from his bedside.
Burr, who'd started life with so much promise, was now wanted for murder. Hamilton who'd spent his early years in the West Indies without a father in his life, and who'd managed to rise to prominence in the political arena of the new country, had made one fatal error.
Nothing truly came of the murder charges against Burr, nor the later machinations by Burr that could be considered by some as treason. Burr wanted to get control of the state of Louisiana and conspired with a foreign government in an attempt to accomplish his goal.
In the end, Burr still managed to come out on top, or at least, not as far down in the heap as he might have deserved.
He died at the age of 80, shortly after his marriage to a wealthy woman. The marriage hadn't worked out well for him either and was basically over at the time of his death. She thought he was trying to take control of her funds. Her opinion was probably justified.
It's likely US history would have been dramatically different if the Vice President's bullet had missed its mark.
In terms of history, Hamilton won.
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