28 moments

1. Birth in Charlestown

   1757-01-11 · Charlestown, Nevis, Saint Kitts and Nevis

   

   Hamilton was born in the Caribbean port town of Charlestown on Nevis, then part of the British Leeward Islands. Hamilton's birth year is disputed; Wikipedia states that most historical evidence supports 1757.

2. Childhood and bereavement on Saint Croix

   1768-02-19 · Christiansted, Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

   

   After his mother moved the family to Saint Croix, Hamilton lived in Christiansted; he was orphaned there when she died of yellow fever.

3. Study at Elizabethtown Academy

   1772-01-01 · Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States

   

   Hamilton attended Francis Barber's preparatory school and boarded with the Livingston family while preparing for college. The source gives only the year.

4. Arrival in Boston

   1772-10-01 · Boston, Massachusetts, United States

   

   Hamilton arrived in North America by ship, beginning the journey that led to his education in the mainland colonies. The source supports month-level, not day-level, precision.

5. Boarding with Hercules Mulligan

   1772-10-01 · New York City, New York, United States

   

   After landing in Boston, Hamilton proceeded to New York City and boarded with merchant Hercules Mulligan while arranging his education and finances. City-level coordinate; the boarding-house address is not established in the cited text.

6. King's College student

   1773-01-01 · King's College, New York City, New York, United States

   

   Hamilton returned to New York, entered King's College, and continued his education before the Revolutionary War interrupted it. Coordinate represents the modern Columbia University Morningside Heights campus; King's College occupied Lower Manhattan in Hamilton's time.

7. First public appearance

   1774-07-06 · New York City, New York, United States

   

   As a King's College student, Hamilton made a notable early public appearance arguing the Patriot cause against Britain. The cited text dates the appearance but does not identify its exact New York venue.

8. Hearts of Oak raid at the Battery

   1775-01-01 · The Battery, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

   

   Hamilton drilled with a New York volunteer militia and led its successful raid to seize British cannon at the Battery. The article places the action in 1775 but does not provide a more precise date.

9. Battle of Harlem Heights

   1776-09-16 · Harlem Heights, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

   

   As captain of the New York Provincial Company of Artillery, Hamilton served in the Continental Army's New York campaign at Harlem Heights. Coordinate represents the Harlem Heights battle area.

10. Battle of White Plains

    1776-10-28 · White Plains, New York, United States

    

    Hamilton's artillery company served at White Plains during the 1776 New York and New Jersey campaign. Coordinate represents White Plains rather than a precisely identified artillery position.

11. Artillery command at Trenton

    1776-12-26 · Warren and Broad Streets, Trenton, New Jersey, United States

    

    Hamilton's company helped pin down Hessian troops from a high point in Trenton during the American victory. Coordinate is the cited present-day street intersection.

12. Battle of Princeton

    1777-01-03 · Nassau Hall, Princeton, New Jersey, United States

    

    Hamilton participated in the Battle of Princeton and brought three cannon against British troops sheltering in Nassau Hall.

13. Winter headquarters at Morristown

    1779-12-01 · Morristown, New Jersey, United States

    

    While serving on George Washington's staff at the army's winter headquarters, Hamilton met Elizabeth Schuyler, whom he later married. Coordinate represents Washington's Morristown headquarters area.

14. Marriage to Elizabeth Schuyler

    1780-12-14 · Schuyler Mansion, Albany, New York, United States

    

    Hamilton married Elizabeth Schuyler at her family's Albany home during the Revolutionary War.

15. Assault on Redoubt No. 10

    1781-10-01 · Redoubt No. 10, Yorktown Battlefield, Yorktown, Virginia, United States

    

    Commanding light infantry during the Yorktown campaign, Hamilton led the nighttime assault that captured Redoubt No. 10. The source establishes the Yorktown action but does not state its exact day in the quoted passage.

16. Return to civilian life

    1782-03-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    

    Following Yorktown, Hamilton returned to New York City, resigned his military commission, and began preparing for legal practice. City-level coordinate.

17. Postwar law practice

    1783-01-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    

    After British evacuation, Hamilton practiced law in New York in partnership with Richard Harison and handled prominent postwar cases. The cited text supports a continuing presence in New York during 1783; coordinate is city-level.

18. Congress relocates to Princeton

    1783-06-01 · Princeton, New Jersey, United States

    

    During the Pennsylvania Mutiny crisis, Hamilton argued that Congress should leave Philadelphia; Congress agreed and moved to Princeton, where he drafted a call to revise the Articles of Confederation. The source supports June 1783 context but does not provide a day.

19. Annapolis Convention delegate

    1786-09-14 · Old Senate Chamber, Maryland State House, Annapolis, Maryland, United States

    

    Hamilton attended the Annapolis Convention as a New York delegate and was the main author of its report calling for a broader constitutional convention. The card date marks the convention's final day; Hamilton was a listed delegate throughout the meeting.

20. Constitutional Convention speech

    1787-06-18 · Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    

    At the Philadelphia Convention, Hamilton presented his own constitutional plan, including a life-tenure executive and senate. Pennsylvania State House is now Independence Hall.

21. Signing the Constitution

    1787-09-17 · Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    

    Hamilton remained at the Philadelphia Convention's close and signed the proposed United States Constitution as New York's sole signer. The convention's signing date was September 17, 1787.

22. New York ratifying convention

    1788-06-01 · Poughkeepsie, New York, United States

    

    Hamilton was a leading Federalist participant in New York's state convention on ratification of the proposed Constitution. The cited text supports month-level precision; coordinate is city-level.

23. Secretary of the Treasury sworn in

    1789-09-11 · New York City, New York, United States

    

    Hamilton entered national executive office as the first U.S. secretary of the treasury while the federal government was seated in New York City. The source dates the oath but does not name its venue; New York City was the federal capital in September 1789, so the coordinate is a representative city point.

24. Philadelphia residence during Reynolds affair

    1791-01-01 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    

    While serving as treasury secretary in the national capital, Hamilton was living in Philadelphia when Maria Reynolds approached him at his house; their affair continued intermittently into 1792. The source places the episode in summer 1791 but does not identify Hamilton's house address.

25. Whiskey Rebellion expedition

    1794-01-01 · Western Pennsylvania, United States

    

    Hamilton accompanied President Washington, Henry Lee, and federal troops to the rebellion's site in western Pennsylvania, demonstrating federal authority to enforce the excise law. The evidence identifies western Pennsylvania broadly; coordinate is a representative point near Washington, Pennsylvania.

26. New England electoral tour

    1800-01-01 · New England, United States

    

    During the presidential election campaign, Hamilton traveled through New England to press northern electors to support Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. The source gives only the year and broad region; coordinate is a representative point in New England.

27. Duel with Aaron Burr

    1804-07-11 · Heights of Weehawken, Weehawken, New Jersey, United States

    

    Hamilton crossed from Manhattan for his duel with Aaron Burr at the Heights of Weehawken, where Burr mortally wounded him. Coordinate represents the historic Weehawken dueling-ground area.

28. Death at William Bayard Jr.'s home

    1804-07-12 · Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

    

    After being wounded in the duel, Hamilton was ferried to Greenwich Village and died at William Bayard Jr.'s home the following afternoon. Coordinate represents the vicinity below present-day Gansevoort Street; Bayard's house no longer stands.