Alexander Hamilton (born 1755 or 1757, died 1804) was an immigrant from the British West Indies who rose from poverty to help establish the foundations of the United States. This Founding Father fought in the American Revolutionary War, was a leading voice in the Constitutional Convention, co-wrote The Federalist Papers with James Madison and John Jay, and established a strong national banking system as the first US Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton’s life was cut short in a duel with Aaron Burr, a former friend.