Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804)
Statesman
King's College 1774–1776
Trustee 1784–1804

As the author of the majority of the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton defended the Constituion from a theoretical standpoint and then, as the first secretary of the Treasury, he put it into practice—and in so doing, practically invented the Federal government as a functioning institution. His financial innovations put the United States on a sound financial footing and helped to pull the 13 states into a unified whole. He was also an abolitionist at a time when most Founding Fathers owned slaves.

Submitted by John Costigan, School of Law 1967, who is solely responsible for the content.