The Revolutionary Writings of Alexander Hamilton

Henry Adams critiques Alexander Hamilton’s revolutionary writings by portraying them as the early expression of an elitist and aristocratic outlook. Adams argues that even in his calls for independence and stronger government, Hamilton revealed a deep skepticism toward popular rule and an…

Wood argues that while Hamilton’s essays and pamphlets championed independence and national strength, they also reflected a suspicion of popular rule and a desire for order that leaned toward aristocratic principles. In this way, Wood situates Hamilton’s revolutionary thought as both vital to…

In his revolutionary writings, Hamilton called for unity and energetic leadership to secure victory in war, while in The Federalist Papers he refined those same ideas into a constitutional framework, defending central authority, executive power, and national stability.

James Madison’s Notes on the Constitutional Convention highlight how Hamilton’s early revolutionary ideas about strong central authority carried into the debates over the Constitution, and how they differed from other framers’ views.

Paine’s text was a bold and accessible call for breaking from Britain, inspiring widespread public support for revolution. Hamilton, writing soon after, built on this revolutionary momentum with more detailed and structured arguments that emphasized the need for unity, strong leadership, and…

Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton places Hamilton’s early essays and pamphlets within the broader story of his life and political development. Chernow shows how Hamilton’s fiery arguments for independence, strong union, and energetic government during the Revolution foreshadowed the principles that…

McDonald’s Alexander Hamilton: A Biography explains how Hamilton’s early arguments for independence and strong government laid the foundation for his later achievements as a nation-builder. McDonald highlights how Hamilton’s wartime pamphlets and essays revealed his distrust of weak confederations…