An illegitimate child, born in the Caribbean, who arrived in America as a near-penniless teenager, Alexander Hamilton did not seem to have much in common with the rest of the Founding Fathers. However, after serving in the Revolution as an artillery officer and aide to George Washington, Hamilton became one of the foremost architects of the new United States of America. This book explores how his strong personality, quicksilver intellect and taste for combat played into the contentious arguments over what kind of country the young republic would become.