Existing comment:
Immigrant in New York
Alexander Hamilton first set eyes on New York City in October 1772 at the age of fifteen. With twenty-five thousand residents, it was the second-largest city in America (behind Philadelphia) and a diverse, lively commercial hub. Hamilton quickly befriended men from prominent American families, many of whom would become leading patriots in the coming revolution. Hamilton initially enrolled in the academy in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, where he met William Livingston, future governor of New Jersey; Elias Boudinot, future president of Congress; and John Jay, future chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. After he completed his preparatory studies, Hamilton entered King's College (now Columbia University) in the fall of 1773. The curriculum emphasized the classics as well as ethics, rhetoric and logic. During this period, Robert Troup and Nicholas Fish were among Hamilton's best friends and intellectual sparring partners, as well as future brothers-in-arms.
Hamilton probably supported the colonists' grievances with British rule even before he arrived in America. From newspapers, merchants and other sources in the West Indies, he would have learned about the Stamp Act and other taxes and restrictions, which were extremely unpopular on the Caribbean islands for their effects on trade. While a student at King's College, Hamilton joined the political debate with speeches and writings that caught the attention of patriot leaders. By the time the college suspended operations due to the war in the spring of 1776, Hamilton had already left to join the American army. |