Question 1

True or false: Philip Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton’s son, died in a duel in 1801, while Alexander himself died in a duel in 1804.

Accepted Answer

True. Philip Hamilton was killed in a duel on November 23, 1801. Alexander Hamilton died on July 12, 1804, following his duel with Aaron Burr the day before.

Question 2

True or false: Hamilton served as President George Washington’s vice president for two terms.

Accepted Answer

False. John Adams was Washington’s VP. Hamilton was Treasury Secretary and a key advisor, but never held the vice presidency.

Question 3

True or false: Alexander Hamilton served as the third President of the United States.

Accepted Answer

False. Alexander Hamilton never served as president. The third president was Thomas Jefferson, who took office in 1801.

Question 4

True or false: Hamilton was born in the British West Indies and never set foot in the American colonies until age 17.

Accepted Answer

True. Born on Nevis in 1755, Hamilton arrived in New York in 1772 at age 17.

Question 5

True or false: Alexander Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States.

Accepted Answer

True. Alexander Hamilton served as the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 1789 to 1795 under President George Washington.

Question 6

True or false: Alexander Hamilton was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.

Accepted Answer

False. Alexander Hamilton did not sign the Declaration of Independence. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention but was not present in 1776.

Question 7

True or false: Hamilton wrote 51 of the 85 Federalist Papers, more than any other author.

Accepted Answer

True. He penned 51, Madison wrote 29, and Jay contributed 5. Hamilton’s output was crucial for the Constitution’s ratification.

Question 8

True or false: Hamilton founded the New York Post in 1801, making it one of America’s oldest newspapers.

Accepted Answer

True. Hamilton launched the New-York Evening Post in 1801, which later became the New York Post, the nation’s oldest continuously published daily newspaper.

Question 9

True or false: Alexander Hamilton was born on the Caribbean island of Nevis.

Accepted Answer

True. Alexander Hamilton was born in Charlestown, Nevis, in the British West Indies around 1755, not in the American colonies.

Question 10

True or false: Alexander Hamilton founded the New York Post newspaper.

Accepted Answer

True. Alexander Hamilton established the New York Evening Post in 1801, which later became the New York Post, making it one of the oldest U.S. newspapers.

Question 11

True or false: Alexander Hamilton was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Accepted Answer

False. The first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court was John Jay, appointed in 1789. Alexander Hamilton never served on the Supreme Court.

Question 12

True or false: Hamilton was the only Founding Father killed in a duel.

Accepted Answer

False. Button Gwinnett, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, died from a duel in 1777, so Hamilton is not the only Founding Father killed in a duel.

Question 13

True or false: Alexander Hamilton wrote 51 of the 85 Federalist Papers.

Accepted Answer

True. Alexander Hamilton authored 51 essays, James Madison wrote 29, and John Jay wrote 5 of the Federalist Papers, which advocated for ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Question 14

True or false: Alexander Hamilton was born in New York City.

Accepted Answer

False. Alexander Hamilton was born on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean, not in New York City. He moved to New York as a teenager.

Question 15

True or false: Hamilton was the first U.S. Treasury Secretary to appear on paper currency.

Accepted Answer

True. Alexander Hamilton's portrait appeared on the first U.S. federal paper money, the $5 Demand Note of 1861, making him the first Treasury Secretary on paper currency. Salmon P. Chase appeared later.

Question 16

True or false: Alexander Hamilton designed the U.S. Coast Guard to combat smugglers and enforce tariffs.

Accepted Answer

True. As first Treasury Secretary, Hamilton pushed for a revenue marine to collect customs, which evolved into the Coast Guard in 1790.

Alexander Hamilton Trivia Questions