Guide to the Alexander Hamilton collection ARC.030
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY, 11201
718-222-4111
library@brooklynhistory.org
Brooklyn Historical Society
Collection processed by Matthew Gorham
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit
on May 01, 2012
English using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Descriptive Summary
| Creator: | Cooper, Charles D., (Charles DeKay), 1769-1831 |
|---|---|
| Creator: | Hamilton, Alexander, 1755-1804 |
| Title: | Alexander Hamilton collection |
| Dates [inclusive]: | circa 1773 to 1830 |
| Quantity: | 0.02 Linear feet |
| Language of Materials: | Materials in English. |
| Call Phrase: | ARC.030 |
| Sponsor: | This collection was processed and described as part of the project, "Uncovering the Secrets of Brooklyn's 19th Century Past: Creation to Consolidation," funded by the Council on Library and Information Resources, with additional support from The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. |
Biographical note
Alexander Hamilton was born in either 1755 or 1757 in the British West Indies. Among his many notable accomplishments, Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, Aide-de-camp to General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War, a signatory of the United States Consitution, an elected member of the Continental Congress and New York Legislature, and the author of 51 of the articles that comprised the Federalist Papers.
In 1804, Hamilton was shot and killed while fighting in a duel with Vice President Aaron Burr, with whom he had held an ongoing rivalry. Burr challenged Hamilton to the duel after a letter by Charles D. Cooper was published in the Albany Register in which Hamilton was described as having expressed negative feelings about Burr at a high profile dinner party. Burr, feeling insulted by Hamilton's alleged remarks, challenged him to the duel in which he fatally wounded him with a single shot.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains six items all created by or pertaining to Alexander Hamilton, all of which were previously cataloged as single items. Included are 2 letters written by Hamilton during his tenure as Secretary of the Treasury of the United States and 1 written in 1796. The collection also includes a photostat of Hamilton's oath of allegiance to the United States dated 1778, a handwritten copy of Hamilton's greek language excercises, and a check signed by Charles D. Cooper.
Access Points
Document Type
- Correspondence
- Stats (copies)
Subject Places
- United States |x History |y Revolution, 1775-1783
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Alexander Hamilton Collection, ARC.030, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Historical Society.