Alexander Hamilton on the Web

• This is an absolutely superb site!  Tim Spalding has created a masterful index to all the major Hamilton resources on the internet.  This is a remarkable site, and should be your first stop for Hamilton information (after you hire me, of course, to come and portray the kindly Mr. H) :) 

A Biography of Alexander Hamilton

• An excellent site with many pages on Hamilton's life story

The Federalist Papers

• These documents are valuable for two main reasons. First, they are the stuff of revolution, with their goal being nothing less than the creation of a new kind of government, unlike any seen before. Secondly, they offer a porthole to the past.  They let us explore the "founder's intent" you hear so much about.  Here you find Hamilton's take on judicial review (78) and on impeachment (65). Madison's towering work on the dangers of factions (10), what we would call interest groups today.  They can be difficult to read, but if you struggle through them, you will be better able to walk in the shoes of our Founders.

The Department of Treasury Hamilton Page

• Hamilton's work as the first Secretary of the Treasury is the stuff of legends! Here is the official government history of Mr. H.  

Interpreting Thomas Jefferson by Clay Jenkinson

• Clay is the foremost historical interpreter in the nation, and his performance of Thomas Jefferson is both magical and educational.  Hal and Clay particularly enjoy working together and verbally jousting as Hamilton and Jefferson on the Founding Period 

Books 

• Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, Penguin Books 2004.  ISBN: 1594200092
  • Simply the standard for Hamilton books. Chernow's superb book is the best researched text on Hamilton yet, and contains details, insights, and analysis unmatched in earlier works. My highest recommendation.

   

• Alexander Hamilton, American by Richard Brookhiser, The Free Press, 1999. ISBN 0-684-83919-9 
  • An excellent book and by far the more readable of the Hamilton texts.

   

• Alexander Hamilton, A Biography by Forrest McDonald, W.W. Norton & Company, 1979. ISBN 0-393-30048-X 
  • The classic in the field, rich with detail and understanding.  The standard.

• Alexander Hamilton: A Concise Biography by Broadus Mitchell, Barnes and Noble, Inc., 1999, ISBN 0-7607-1703-6
  • The late Professor Mitchell wrote this one volume version of his two-volume history of Mr. Hamilton.  Mitchell's book covers Hamilton's early life in far more detail than other biographies, and is well-written and easy to read.

• Alexander Hamilton: Writings, edited by Joanne B. Freeman. The Library of America Press, 2001    ISBN 1-931082-04-9
  • A stunning collection of Hamilton's writings. I can honestly say that this collection is the new standard for such texts. Freeman has done an exceptional job in selecting a remarkable collection of letters, pamphlets, Federalist Papers, speeches, and more, as well as such gems as the complete Hamilton-Burr exchange of letters that resulted in the duel, as well as the reports of the Seconds.  The complete Reynolds and Adams pamphlets are here as is an excellent chronology.  (1108 pages)

   

• Selected Writings and Speeches of Alexander Hamilton, edited by Morton J. Frisch.  American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 1985,  ISBN 0-8447-3551-5
  • A terrific collection of many of Hamilton's most important works.  This abridged set contains the most important for the normal Hamiltonian student.

   

• Affairs of Honor: National Politics in the New Republic, by Joanne B. Freeman. Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2001. ISBN 0-300-08877-9
  • A terrific book by one of the nation's best Hamilton scholars, Freeman examines how concepts of honor helped shape the Founding Period.  Chapters examine newspapers, political gossip, dueling, and more.

   

• Any edition of the Federalist Papers 
  • Hamilton wrote 2/3rds of them, Madison nearly 1/3rd, and Jay only 4 before he was taken ill

   

• The Age of Federalism: The Early Republic, 1788-1800 by Stanley Elkins and Eric McKitrick, Oxford University Press, 1993. ISBN 0-19-506890-4 
  • A remarkable (and large) study of the Federalist period.  Excellent for context and fuller understanding of the times

   

• Duel: Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and the Future of America by Thomas Fleming, Basic Books, 1999. ISBN 0-465-01736-3
  • A fascinating study of the conflict between two very important men, and what led to the events at Weehawken. Answers the oft-asked question, what the heck happened to Burr after the duel.  I personally don't really like this book, as I think it bends over backwards to give Burr all the benefit of the doubt, and Hamilton none of it. Thus, you should be even more inclined to read this book, just to see if I'm as biased as you may suspect!  

Video Tapes

• In December of 2000, C-SPAN broadcast nationally a Jefferson/Hamilton Debate between Clay Jenkinson and Hal Bidlack. 
  • This debate was taped at the famous William L. Clements Library on the campus of the University of Michigan.  C-SPAN has made copies of that debate available for purchase in their on-line store.

• A video tape of a debate between Hamilton and Jefferson (as portrayed by Clay Jenkinson) entitled Jefferson and Hamilton: A Divergence of Views is available by calling toll-free 1-888-635-6663.  The video runs approximately 2 hours, and was recorded before a live audience in Colorado Springs on the evening of February 17th, 2000.
  • Additional tapes of Clay Jenkinson as Thomas Jefferson are also available.
  • The cost per tape is $24.95 plus $4 shipping and handling.  

• Liberty!
  • This wonderful six-hour  PBS documentary is not exclusively Hamilton, although he does make regular appearances.  Rather, it is a terrific portrayal of the founding period. In addition to the videos, there is a companion book and CD of music.  The book and video are primarily the work of Thomas Fleming, the author of Duel, noted above