Existing comment:
The Duel
Affairs of honor -- disputes between gentlemen that sometimes culminated in duels -- were common in late-18th-century America. One signer of the Declaration of Independence and two signers of the Constitution were killed in duels. Men fought duels when they felt their honor had been impugned, and though dueling was illegal, duelists were not prosecuted, since juries would not convict them. Dueling was polite, well-regulated, unjust and barbaric. Hamilton was a principal in seven affairs of honor in his life. The one that ended in a duel, and ended his life, was fought with fellow lawyer and New Yorker, Vice President Aaron Burr. |