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These forums are being phased out. The new, improved Alexander Hamilton Forum is at americanhistoryforums.com.
Posted by ABHouston on November 26, 19101 at 18:06:04:
In Reply to: what steps did hamilton take to strengthen government? posted by Jed on November 26, 19101 at 17:40:05:
Riddle me this, Batman?!
I'll be brief:
1. At the Annapolis Convention where Hamilton met up with Madison, Hamilton penned the call to overhaul the entire federal government, at a Constitutional Convention to be held in Philadelphia. He attended that Convention, and was the only representative from New York to support and sign the draft of the Constitution. He then wrote most of the Federalist Papers which served to inform the public about the virtue of the proposed Constitution.
2. As Secretary of Treasury, he pushed through his plan to have the federal government take over the repayment of all foreign and internal debts (IOUs) incurred during the Revolutionary War, and thus institutionalized taxes to pay the debt. The systematic repaying of all of these debts served to impose order on the chaotic finances of the fledgling country, put our government on good credit standing internationally, tied rich speculators who owned the IOUS to the federal government, and made the federal government financially supreme over all of the States.
3. When some Western farmers opposed the tax collection, Hamilton led a contingency of soldiers to suppress the so-called Whiskey Rebellion. It was pretty much bloodless, but this was the first time the federal government erted its authority with force.
Note: Hamilton was Secretary of Treasury AND Acting Secretary of War (Know was incapacitated at the time), and previosly retired from the Revolutionary Army as a Colonel.
4. He set the precedent of loose constructionism by which the federal government enjoyed the freedom to adapt and do things not explicitly listed in the Constitution. This doctrine (that the Constutional powers ought to be construed liberally) came about with Hamilton's successful push to have the federal government charter a private-public bank (the National Bank) as part of his financial plan. This doctrine was later affirmed by Chief Justice John Marshal, and has proven immensely in our succeeding history.
There's more, but these are the biggies that will answer your question.
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