Despite his role in our history, Alexander Hamilton languished as one of our more obscure founding fathers until Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical renewed his celebrity.

Hamilton was an orphan who rose from the depths of indigence to the heights of power and intelligentsia through hard work and a couple of fortunate turns.

He served as one of George Washington’s most trusted colleagues during both the Revolutionary War and Washington’s presidency. He built the financial system for our nation.

And yet he suffered disgrace, grief, and famously and fatally lost his duel with Aaron Burr.

Learn about Hamilton’s rise and fall with Dr. John Foster, our resident historian.

And fans of Dr. Foster’s historical talks can view many of them in their entirety on our YouTube channel.