What is the Relationship between Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson?

Answer 1

The three didn't get along.

Hamilton was a Federalist. He was one of the founders of the Federalist Party. Jefferson was an anti Federalist. Both Hamilton and Jefferson were in Washington's cabinet. Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury and Jefferson was Secretary of State. They drove Washington to distraction as they were constantly feuding.

Burr and Hamilton didn't get along either. They were both prominent in New York politics, in opposing parties.

As for Burr versus Jefferson, Burr was the VP candidate when Jefferson ran for President. The voting process was different back then. To make a long story short, Jefferson and Burr tied for most votes and instead of stepping aside for Jefferson, Burr made an attempt at the Presidency. Jefferson did not invite Burr to be on the ticket the next time.

So Jefferson didn't like Burr, nor Hamilton. Hamilton didn't like Burr or Jefferson. And Burr didn't like Hamilton or Jefferson.

The grand finale was when Burr knew he wasn't going to be VP again, he ran for Governor of New York. Hamilton was so strong in his opposition of Burr, Burr thought Hamilton went too far. He challenged Hamilton to a duel and killed him.

So none had a good relationship with the others.

Answer 2

Hamilton and Burr had a duel in 1804. Burr and Jefferson tied in balloting for the presidency. Hamilton lobbied Congress to decide the election in Jefferson's favor.

Answer 3

The Louisiana purchase grow to be between the biggest land deals in history. In 1803, usa paid approximately $15 million funds for over 800,000 sq. miles of land. This land belonged to France and Spain.With the acquisition of this new territory, the land part of usa just about doubled. even nonetheless, the precise southern and western limitations weren't defined interior the acquisition. usa might could desire to handle Spain to artwork out the particular info of those limitations. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led a small expeditionary group referred to as the Corps of Discovery into the territory. they're only the start of usa's fascination with exploring the west. basically, on the time Jefferson grow to be president ,the U. S. grow to be in common terms a fraction of the dimensions that's now, the land after the acquisition, it grow to be his concept, the dimensions of the rustic just about doubled. To detect this new land he sent 2 human beings named Lewis and Clark, subsequently the Lewis and Clark day holiday. desire this facilitates :)

Answer 4

Bear with me -- I try to read almost everything that comes out on this, so distilling it is not always easy!


Much of my 'storyline' tracks with Fawn's -- but there are key points in the popular conception that are dubious at best.

First, this was a NASTY time politically -- each side (and sometimes sub-factions) had their own newspapers which made strong, sometimes wild accusations against the other side. Parties were JUST being founded, though most people thought "party spirit" a bad thing. As a result, BOTH sides tended to be (honestly) concerned that 'the other side' was endangering what they had all fought for in the Revolution. Not surprisingly, things easily became personal (which is worse than political!)

* Through the 1790s Hamilton frequently slurred political opponents, including Burr in New York and Jefferson nationally. In 1800 Hamilton even wrote attacks against fellow Federalist John Adams, whom he thought compromised too much. (H didn't want these things published, but somehow the leaked out. Anti-Burrites have enjoyed accusing him, but there's little evidence for that -- Hamilton's latest and greatest biographer [Ron Chernow] argues against it, and H never accused B of doing so.)

* Jefferson did not directly attack, but drafted others to do the dirty work (including one James Callender, who later turned on him, spreading the most familiar attacks on his character)

* Oddly, it does not seem Burr involved himself much in any attacks (though there were pro-Burr papers that poked fun at opponents, including some hilarious spoofs of some politicians arguments for not trusting Burr). This may fit with his whole political approach -- somewhat more 'centrist' and willing to broker compromises (which led strongly partisan Hamilton to regard him as having no principles)

* Note that all three had some embarrassing secrets, esp. concerning relations with women. Some of it we know, some is uncertain, some is muddied by false accusations and political attacks. (Most know all this, though they tend to be quick to believe the worst about Burr. We know something of B's involvement with women after his wife's death, but he does not appear quite the womanizer many portray him as.) The fact that J and H themselves and/or through loyal family members were able to get "their story" (and spin) out, while Burr did not (his wife and only child predeceasing him, and Burr himself rarely interested 'defending' himself, even in cases where it's clear the facts support him). This all tends to skew the later image and make it difficult to discover what 'really' happened.

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The Parties

Hamilton and Jefferson disagreed, but Washington largely followed Hamilton's policies and gave him the upper hand. Jefferson eventually stepped down. (I don't know that it "drove Washington to distraction".)

Hamilton, a Federalist, STRONGLY opposed Jefferson & Burr, members of the Virginia Republican Party and New York Party respectively.

It is important to recognize that, though they usually made common cause, these were really two SEPARATE groups, often with different agendas. In particular, Jefferson hoped to keep the power in a "Virginia dynasty" of people who thought like him -- and it worked, as he was followed by his hand-picked successors Madison and Monroe. So J and B were, in a sense, TWO powers, not just part of one group, which makes it easy to see where fear and distrust could arise.

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Election of 1800

First, Burr drafted a powerful set of candidates for the Republicans and won in spring elections --outmanaging Hamilton, who became quite hostile and worried about him. The two had competed in New York politics for years (H may also have become upset when B gained a position in place of H's father-in-law), but this brought a new intensity, at least from H's side

Burr was chosen to run with Jefferson BECAUSE he was thus able to 'deliver' New York's electoral votes. But, as noted above, J's commitment was to the VIRGINIA party -- and Burr's political acumen and power in the other large (and necessary) state of New York was worrisome to him. This set him up to believe rumors of Burr's disloyalty, and to spread them later.

Now Burr is often presented as making a play for the Presidency when J & B ended up tied (through a provision in the Constitution written before people realized how important PARTIES would become). Big problem here -- Federalists in the House who COULD have given Burr the Presidency, and a number were inclined to, so they approached 'his people' for some reassurances about some of their concerns. Burr would NOT give these (though doing so would almost surely have landed him the Presidency)... and did even stay in Washington to lobby, preferring to go home to New York to help arrange his daughter's wedding.

So, where exactly is that "play" for the Presidency?? I think it may be that after stating that Jefferson SHOULD get it, he didn't stay to lobby FOR Jefferson... though in all the confusion, it's hard to say what he SHOULD have done. (BTW, Jefferson's people DID offer the assurances Federalists wanted. Not saying that was wrong or dishonest, but it is ironic that BURR was later accused of maneuvering!)

(Incidentally, Burr had been Jefferson's 'running mate' in 1796 as well, and Burr was not happy that while he gained Northern votes for Jefferson, quite a number of Southern electors refused to vote for him [or any Northerner!]. So the plan was to make sure that did not happen this time... only ONE vote was supposed to be 'thrown away', but by mistake the two ended up tied.)
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The Duel

After this BOTH Jefferson & Hamilton were concerned about Burr and tended to believe rumors and accusations. Jefferson dumped him from the 1804 ticket to get someone more compliant (with less independent power), and Hamilton's long history of slurs against Burr helped destroy what should have been a strong run at the governor's seat that year.

It was AFTER the election that news of a particular attack by H against B came to light (though unfortunately NO ONE knows the details of what H said!), Burr called on H to disavow them or apologize. H HAD done on an earlier occasion and at first it looked like the same would happen here. But H became oddly resistant (the correspondence is fascinating) and things fell apart, even efforts to prevent a duel (most duel challenges were resolved through negotiations before any fight took place). Burr's shot hit the mark.

Now when H's "final testament" was revealed, in which he said he planned to throw away his shot, there was a Federalist uproar against B. (What most overlook -- if this WAS H's plan, there's NO evidence B knew of it, H did much AT the dueling grounds to suggest he wanted to get his best shot off, AND H's written "plans" would ONLY come to light it he were killed... which raises the distinct possibility he was trying to assure that, IF he died, BURR might be damaged by these final words.... as happened!)

But in fact Burr actually did a few things in the closing months of his Vice Presidency that gained a lot of praise and support from Federalists. In particular, he presided fairly over the first ever Senate impeachment trial -- that of Federalist Supreme Court justice Samuel Chase whom the Republican majority in Congress had targeted. B's efforts to force the Senate to take the matter seriously --not as a mere political fight-- was key in his acquittal. Also, many Senators reported how impressed and moved they were by B's conciliatory farewell address.
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Treason?

The final chapter is the most confusing and detailed -- but it involves Burr being accused of treason for a confusing 'western scheme' (again, what his exact plans were are still debated), on the basis of accusations from U.S. general who INITIATED the plans, was himself untrustworthy, in fact, a longtime double agent for the Spanish! (not your most reliable witness!) Jefferson became PERSONALLY involved in prosecuting Burr, though B was finally acquitted when Chief Justice John Marshall insisted on STRONG evidence for treason.