If someone took the time to look at the people on money, they might learn something. No, we’re not talking about Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. We’re talking about the man on the 10-dollar bill: Alexander Hamilton. Haven’t heard of him? Not many have. That’s why this essay was written. Alexander Hamilton was young man during the time of the American Revolution. He believed very strongly that slavery was one of the worst things that men created. He also saw the hypocrisy in how the 13 colonies were trying to get away from the British, who they said treated them like slaves, but had slaves for themselves! Hamilton met George Washington when he was still in his 20s, and they become good friends eventually. Although Alexander Hamilton and George Washington were good friends, Alexander Hamilton was unable to convince Washington to allow blacks to fight in the army. Washington made his decision because he was forced to when the British started recruiting blacks for their army first.

Alexander Hamilton had a hard childhood, and he saw that the prejudice against blacks were wrong. Alexander Hamilton wasn’t born in America, but rather he was born in Charleston on the West Indies island of Nevis in the year 1757. But he grew up in St. Croix. Hamilton never knew his father. And if that wasn’t bad enough his mother died when he was only 12 years old. In the same year that his mother died, Hamilton wrote to a friend in New York “I wish there was a war.” In saying this, Hamilton expressed his need for something to do, something to fight for, and military glory – not just sitting there without a mother or father, and with nothing to do. During his time as a child in St. Croix, Hamilton was exposed to slavery. He saw the pain in the slave’s eyes; and he saw how they were treated unfairly. He knew that there was this prejudice because the slaves were black because later in life he was exposed to this prejudice frequently by many people.

Alexander Hamilton’s friends saw that Hamilton was smart, and they funded for him to go to Kings College (now Columbia University) in New York City to finish his education. He was only 16 when he arrived in New York. But his need for military glory soon resurfaced, and he joined the local militia company in New York City. He “was soon as absorbed in muskets and drill manuals as in his textbooks” (Damon 14). Hamilton finished his education in the March of 1776 and was appointed captain of the NY Provincial Artillery company when he was only 19 years old. He was successful in his role as captain and trained many men to become strong fighters. The Revolutionary War had started in 1775, and Hamilton started fighting in it. But Hamilton’s views on slavery didn’t stray, and they just became stronger and stronger as the Revolution progressed. And soon he would make a plan to stop slavery…

Hamilton would make many friends during his time fighting in the Revolution. One of them would be George Washington. Hamilton continued successfully in his military career for many years. Once Hamilton’s artillery crew delayed the pursuing British to help cover the retreat of George Washington’s Continental Army from New York. This was the first time that Washington saw Hamilton in action. Hamilton also helped Washington in many other situations, like when Washington made a surprise attack on Trenton. Washington was impressed with Hamilton’s skills in the army. He saw that Hamilton was organized, smart, and a good leader. Needing someone to help him with the running of the Army, Washington hired Hamilton as his “aide-de-camp” or right-hand man in 1777 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Hamilton was only 20 years old.

Hamilton was very successful at his new job and “his quick mind and keen understanding of Washington’s way of thinking enabled him not only to advertise his General at times, but at times speak for him.” (Source) Washington didn’t want to lose Hamilton, as he was valuable, so he didn’t let him fight in any battles. But Hamilton soon became frustrated that he wasn’t getting any frontline action, so he resigned in the February of 1781. Washington couldn’t spare such an important person, so he asked Hamilton to come back, and he promised him “frontline action.” So Hamilton returned to his job, but this time he actually led battalions in battles against the British instead of doing all of Washington’s paperwork.

John Laurens was a man who disliked slavery just as much, if not more than, Alexander Hamilton did. John Laurens grew up in South Carolina. He came from a very wealthy family. Why was his family so wealthy? Because of the slave trade. Most of the income from his family came from the slave trade. Lauren’s father, Henry, traded slaves for a living. But why would a man coming from this family feel so strongly against slavery? It’s possible that while attending school in England and Geneva he developed these views, but it could also just be who he is.

When Laurens was 23 years old, he met with Alexander Hamilton to devise a plan to make a 2-4 battalions of black soldiers. Alexander Hamilton wrote a letter to the Continental Congress to see if they would fund the plan. They agreed, so the Continental Congress would give slave owners a certain amount of money for each slave that they let fight in the battalions. But many slaves didn’t want to go, so their freedom was promised after the war. Hamilton believed that this plan would set a good example for the southern colonies, and that the battalions would help to fight the British army that was constantly growing. Hamilton also believed that the black soldiers would fight just as well, if not better than the white soldiers. But the plan wasn’t devised just for military reasons. Hamilton and Laurens believed that if it worked, it could have a positive impact on people (especially in the southern colonies) and that it could help to right the wrong. But still, many people opposed the plan. It wasn’t because they had anything against blacks through experience – it was just grounded into people’s minds at the time.

America was now well into the Revolutionary War, and it was a difficult one. Both sides, the British and America were desperate to win the war. The British then started recruiting black slaves for their army. They said “If you can reach our lines, you can fight for us and earn your freedom.” (Source) This got many slaves eager to be free on the British side. Knowing that they would loose the war within days if they didn’t do something, Washington never had anything in particular against blacks, but he didn’t view them as weaker than any white man. So Washington finally started doing the same; he started recruiting blacks into the Continental Army. If he hadn’t everything that he had been fighting for all these years would be lost. Governors of colonies told their slaves that if they fought in the Revolution (and survived) they would earn their freedom from slavery for the rest of their lives. This is basically the same as Hamilton’s and Lauren’s plan except that it is for the Continental Army, so it’s more widespread, not just a few battalions on the side. Soon enough, against the common prejudice, the slaves proved that they were as strong as any white man, if not better. Many people would think that Hamilton was the one who persuaded Washington to recruit blacks into the army, but these opinions are incorrect. The only reason that Washington recruited blacks into the Continental Army was because he would lose the war if he didn’t.

Washington’s decision to recruit blacks into the Continental Army eventually proved to be an effective one. Blacks were finally being noticed for their capabilities, and officers in the Continental Army began to realize that stereotypes concerning blacks were false. The common prejudices against blacks were based on the need to preserve the economy that resulted from slavery. Because of this, more and more people began to consider granting slaves their freedom. 1 in 4 of the soldiers hand-picked by Washington to go on an assignment were black. In the end 5,000 black soldiers served in the Revolutionary War.

Hamilton advocated the idea of blacks joining army to Washington frequently, but in the end it didn’t make a difference at all – it was really the British that did it. Eventually, slavery started becoming less and less common in the 13 colonies, and it has currently ended in the United States of America, and all men are really created equal. And of course, many of this is thanks to one young man with a strong opinion: Alexander Hamilton.

I hope that you enjoyed reading my semi-boring essay. If you don’t think it’s boring, good for you because I sure do!