Why Alexander Hamilton is on the $10 Bill

[J.A. Collection]

Found this on Yahoo and thought it was interesting....

 

$10 Bill: Why is Alexander Hamilton, who wasn't president, on U.S. currency?

[Bugmann1974]

The same reason Ben Franklin is on the $100 bill and half dollars?

[coinman_23885]

He was the first Secretary of Treasury, and he pushed for the Bank of the United States. In the realm of constitutional law, he was also an early proponent of a (at least in his times) broader interpretation of Congress's power under the Commerce Clause of Article I, Section VIII, starting an early (and quite an informative) debate about constitutional interpretation (i.e. strict v. broad interpretation).

[Frank Provasek]

A good summary of Hamilton

 

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/burr/hamiltonbio.htm

[ComicConnoisseur]

Just like Andrew Jackson would be upset right now if he knew he was on the 20 dollar bill. Andrew Jackson hated banks and paper money.

Andrew Jackson was the anti-Alexander Hamilton.

[BillJones]

If it had not been for Alexander Hamilton, our monetary system might be very different today, and the contry might not have ended up as strong. Hamilton was the expert on monetary policy and government finance of his day. Jefferson, his leading opponent, knew a great many things about government and political philosophy, but he did know anything about financial matters and money.

 

When Jefferson was elected president in 1801 (The election went to the House of Representatives that year.) Jefferson wanted to dismantle Hamilton's monetary system, but even he admitted that Hamilton had put too much in place to take it apart. Fortunately a great deal of Hamilton's monetary system stayed in place.

[coinman_23885]

Just like Andrew Jackson would be upset right now if he knew he was on the 20 dollar bill. Andrew Jackson hated banks and paper money.

Andrew Jackson was the anti-Alexander Hamilton.

 

I'm not sure that Jackson hated banks per se, rather he hated the Bank of the United States. He had no qualms about transferring BUS funds to so called "wildcat banks" often under the influence and control of political/personal allies. In fairness, I don't think he should be on the $20 bill or venerated in any way. He was known for three things 1.) being the first so-called "*D-e-m-o-c--r-a-t" (I believe); 2.) the spoils system/corruption; and 3.) poor fiscal policies that caused a depression. I don't think any of these warrant him being honored.

[BillJones]

Just like Andrew Jackson would be upset right now if he knew he was on the 20 dollar bill. Andrew Jackson hated banks and paper money.

Andrew Jackson was the anti-Alexander Hamilton.

 

I'm not sure that Jackson hated banks per se, rather he hated the Bank of the United States. He had no qualms about transferring BUS funds to so called "wildcat banks" often under the influence and control of political/personal allies. In fairness, I don't think he should be on the $20 bill or venerated in any way. He was known for three things 1.) being the first so-called "*D-e-m-o-c--r-a-t" (I believe); 2.) the spoils system/corruption; and 3.) poor fiscal policies that caused a depression. I don't think any of these warrant him being honored.

 

There are a couple of good things you can say about Andrew Jackson's presidency.

 

1. He spread democracy, which was a very positive thing. Jackson recognized before any other major politician of his era that presidential elections were going to be won at the ballot box and not in the congressional caucus where previous presidents had been picked since the early 1800s.

 

2. Jackson initiated the first major fight over the preservation of the Union when he opposed the South Carolina nullification movement. The issue then was over the protective tariff, and the South actually had a very legitimate issue in that case. BUT many people saw the issue of states’ rights and federal law would eventually come down to the slavery issue.

 

3. Jackson’s spoils system was not all bad. An argument could be made it made room for people with less than significant political connections were allowed to participate in government.

 

But, yes, Jackson’s anti-national bank policies were detrimental to the economy, and the people paid for it. The charter for the Bank of the United States was flawed, but doing away with the whole thing was not a wise answer.

 

[Conder101]

He was known for three things 1.) being the first so-called "*D-e-m-o-c--r-a-t" (I believe); 2.) the spoils system/corruption; and 3.) poor fiscal policies that caused a depression.

4.)The forced resettlement of the Indians from the east coast to the western lands, the infamous "Trail of tears.".

[ComicConnoisseur]

He was known for three things 1.) being the first so-called "*D-e-m-o-c--r-a-t" (I believe); 2.) the spoils system/corruption; and 3.) poor fiscal policies that caused a depression.

4.)The forced resettlement of the Indians from the east coast to the western lands, the infamous "Trail of tears.".

Add he got the US the state of Florida to the list! (thumbs u