The Hamilton Scheme: An Epic Tale of Money and Power in the American Found

Alexander Hamilton was one of the influence makers in shaping the United States Government. In his short forty-seven-year life, he served under George Washington in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, wrote many of the “Federalist Papers” and served as the inaugural Treasury Secretary. With time, Hamilton’s role began to be diminished until recent scholarly reappraisals and a hit Broadway show placed Hamilton back into the spotlight.

Hamilton’s vision for the burgeoning United States featured the creation of a central bank, a head of state similar to a monarch and less sovereignty amongst the individual states. As the struggle for the Constitution developed, Hamilton consistently maneuvered to see his ideal government realized in the binding document. However, Hamilton wasn’t done once the Constitution was ratified as he wanted his voice heard in the ensuing years.

The Hamilton Scheme examines the life and career of the visionary Hamilton in fine detail while also examining the allies and bêtes noires who were his contemporaries. William Hogeland has authored a superb scholarly study of Hamilton’s philosophy and how it has shaped the financial policies of government on and off in the centuries since his death.