Alexander Hamilton and Arron Burr
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Alexander Hamilton was born in 1757 on the island of Nevis, in the British West Indies. He was the bastard son of a bankrupt Scottish merchant and a French woman who was a farmer's daughter. John Adams, who despised Hamilton immensely, called him "the bastard brat of a scotch peddler". Hamilton was a man small in stature, pale skin and delicate bone structure. He was 49 years old at the time of the duel, one year older that Aaron Burr. Starting from humble beginnings, Hamilton had always felt the need to impress his superiors with his own superiority. He felt that the problems of an infant nation were his own personal challenge. Although Hamilton had not sought out to duel with Burr, his personality prohibited him from refusing the duel lest he compromise his honor.
Before asking why Aaron Burr had challenged Alexander Hamilton to the duel, there is 15 years of history between the two men that must be taken into consideration. A long-standing animosity between the men had started in 1789, and not only continued but escaladed for the next 15 years...