Election of 1800

Aaron Burr As New York State’s Third Attorney General

February 13, 2025 by Historical Society of the New York Courts Leave a Comment

Aaron Burr (1756-1836) is perhaps best known as the infamous Vice President who took a rather dramatic turn in American history and shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804.

But before he became a household name for all the wrong reasons, Burr served as New York’s third Attorney General from 1789 to 1791. He was known for his legal savvy and charm, navigating the post-Revolutionary legal landscape as something of a rogue. [Read more…] about Aaron Burr As New York State’s Third Attorney General

What Does The Election of 1800 Have To Do With 2024?

October 24, 2024 by James F. Sefcik 2 Comments

Although historians generally disagree, many people think history repeats itself. Are there any parallels between the Election of 1800 and the contest for the presidency in 2024?

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson had been debating different viewpoints about the Constitution since they first worked on the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Adams feared giving the people too much control while Jefferson thought the presidency had too much power. [Read more…] about What Does The Election of 1800 Have To Do With 2024?

General Horatio Gates in New York City: A Political Legacy

October 8, 2023 by James S. Kaplan 3 Comments

For many years New York City has not been known for its patriotic ceremonies recognizing important Revolutionary War heroes or sites.

Recently this has begun to change, beginning with the rediscovery of the grave of General Horatio Gates, who many consider the second most important American general of the American Revolution. Until about ten years ago his grave located in Trinity Churchyard in Manhattan was completely unmarked.

Gates was the commanding general at the Battle of Saratoga in October of 1777, which most historians agree was the most important battle of the American Revolution and the turning point of the Revolutionary War. He played another important role in early American politics in the city of New York after the war. [Read more…] about General Horatio Gates in New York City: A Political Legacy

A History of New York City’s July 4th Celebrations

June 20, 2023 by James S. Kaplan 2 Comments

Throughout the United States there are traditional Fourth of July parades and backyard barbecues, but in New York City the history of July 4th celebrations have been somewhat different. Although July 4th would appear to be a apolitical patriotic holiday, early July 4th celebrations in the city of New York were anything but nonpartisan. [Read more…] about A History of New York City’s July 4th Celebrations

Wall Street History: The Politics of New York’s First Banks

January 10, 2022 by James S. Kaplan 1 Comment

Prior to the American Revolution, there were virtually no banks in the United States. However, Alexander Hamilton, who was George Washington’s key advisor on financial matters, was familiar with the central banks of England and the Netherlands which had been key factors in the growth of the economy of those countries.

Unlike some agrarian Virginian politicians such as Thomas Jefferson, Hamilton believed that banking and credit was the key to the nation’s future. In 1781 he encouraged Robert Morris, the recently appointed Superintendent of Finance for the Continental government, to form the Bank of North America in Philadelphia. For a time up, until the British surrender of New York, this was the only Bank in the colonies. [Read more…] about Wall Street History: The Politics of New York’s First Banks

NYC Elections of 1800: Alexander Hamilton and Horatio Gates

September 23, 2018 by James S. Kaplan 1 Comment

On October 28, 2018, the Lower Manhattan Historical Association (LMHA), the Sons of the Revolution of the State of New York, the New York Veteran Corps of Artillery, and various French civic and military groups will hold the Sixth Annual Saratoga/Yorktown celebration in the cemetery at St. Paul’s Chapel and at Trinity Churchyard.

This celebration is intended to honor the American victories in the two most important battles of the American Revolution — the Battles of Saratoga on October 17, 1777 and the Battle of Yorktown on October 19, 1781. It is also intended to honor three important Revolutionary War figures connected with those battles who are buried in Trinity Churchyard — General Horatio Gates, Alexander Hamilton, and Marinus Willett. [Read more…] about NYC Elections of 1800: Alexander Hamilton and Horatio Gates

Aaron Burr Revised: Conspiracy, Treason and Justice

June 16, 2015 by Kathleen Hulser 2 Comments

Who remembers Aaron Burr as anything more than Quick Draw McGraw shooting down the near-sighted Alexander Hamilton at dawn in 1804? But there is much more to the man, as Gore Vidal revealed in his intriguing 1973 historical novel, and other subsequent scholarship.

Two aspects of Burr’s varied career stand out in today’s world. First, his treason trial that closely examined issues of what counts as an act of war against one’s own government. And second, his relationships with a series of highly intelligent and accomplished women, reflecting his high opinion of the female sex and its potential. [Read more…] about Aaron Burr Revised: Conspiracy, Treason and Justice

The Albany Connections of Burr, Hamilton, and Schuyler

May 14, 2015 by Peter Hess 10 Comments

During the Revolutionary War, Alexander Hamilton served as an artillery captain and later a colonel and trusted aid to General George Washington. Colonel Aaron Burr also served in the Colonial Army and accompanied Benedict Arnold on his march through the Maine wilderness and his failed attempt to capture Quebec.

Burr had been with General Richard Montgomery when Montgomery was shot and killed in Quebec. Later in the war, Burr was placed in charge of a regiment and his troops were stationed in Westchester County, New York. [Read more…] about The Albany Connections of Burr, Hamilton, and Schuyler

Election of 1800

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