Stop #6 Alexander Hamilton Tombstone/Biography

*Top picture is of Hamilton and the bottom picture is his tombstone

This site is the tombstone of Alexander Hamilton who contributed in three major ways.

1. Hamilton was a founding father that acted in the Military.
1. Came to America as poor immigrant but fought his way to a better life
2. Hamilton was a part of the continental army.
3. He was called upon by George Washington for his expertise (because of his education)  and became his assistant
4. Led a successful charge in Battle of Yorktown
2. Hamilton was a well-known lawyer
1. Studied initially in King’s College when he came to america and returned to his studies as lawyer after the war
2. He went against the Trespass Act that made Loyalist pay rebels
3. Hamilton then began to defend Loyalists who were treated poorly
4. Showed that Hamilton was a “bigger man” ; he fought for what was right and was against injustice
3. Hamilton became an active leader in politics and became the first secretary of the treasury.
1. He created the first National Bank.
2. Set up war bonds, taxes, and more as secretary of treasury.
3. Hamilton created the first Federalist party
4. He helped Jefferson become president
5. His activeness in politics eventually got him killed in a duel against Aaron Burr

Stop #2: Fort George/Customs House/Museum of the Native American

Fort George as seen from the south

This site has served three very different functions over the course of the city’s history:

1) as the military defense of the city when it was a Dutch and British colony.

        * was headquarters for Peter Stuyvesant

        * The Dutch surrendered to British - and later the British surrendered to the Americans here

        * The fort was the target of the angry Stamp Act rioters, who hanged the governor in effigy and burned his coach. 

2) as the Federal Customs House for the port in the late 1800's.

        * the size and ornate design symbolized the importance of NYC trade to the nation during an era when the US became a global economic power

3) as the National Museum of the American Indian today. 

         * Does anyone see the irony of this as the site for a museum devoted to Native American art and culture?