AlexanderHamiltonwasbornintheWestIndiesin1757,theillegitimatechildofaScottishmerchant.HecametotheAmericancoloniestostudyatKing'sCollege(nowColumbiaUniversity),andbecameanearlyandardentsupporteroftheRevolutionarycause.DuringtheRevolutionaryWarhewasaide-de-camptoGeorgeWashingtonandamemberoftheContinentalCongress.HewasaleadingfigureattheConstitutionalConvention(1787)andaprincipalauthorofTheFederalistPapers.AtfirstSecretaryoftheTreasuryhearticulatedapolicyofprotectionformanufacturinginterests,strongcentralgovernment,andestablishmentofanationalbank.AfterleavingtheCabinet,hepracticedlawinNewYork.HispersonalattackshinderedthepoliticalcareerofthevolatileAaronBurr,whofinallychallengedhimtoaduelin1804.Hamiltonwasshot,anddiedofhiswounds.
JohnJay(1747-1829)wasaconservativelawyerwhobecamealeadingpatriot.HewasaministertoSpain(1780-82),thefirstChiefJusticeoftheU.S.SupremeCourt(1789-95),andhenegotiatedthetreatyof1795betweentheU.S.andBritain.HiscontributionstoTheFederalistPapersconcernforeignaffairs.
JamesMadisonwasbornin1751,thesonofaVirginiaplanter.HeworkedfortheRevolutionarycauseasamemberoftheContinentalCongressandtheVirginiaHouseofDelegates.TheleaderofdeliberationsattheConstitutionalConvention,hefoughtfortheadoptionoftheConstitutionandtheBillofRights.ThroughanallyofHamiltonontheConstitutionhewasasupporterofJefferson'sagrarianpolicies.HewasJefferson'sSecretaryofState(1801-9)andhissuccessoraspresident(1809-17),buthispresidencywasmarredbytheunpopularWarof1812.Madisondiedin1836.