Comments on: How Ex-Vice Presidents Make Ends Meet

By: Hastings

Hastings — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:09:00 +0000

It was common practice in the early 19th century to name children after the founding fathers. My Great-great-great granduncle, born in 1802 was named Aaron Burr. Six months after the real Burr shot Hamilton, my Great-great-great-grandfather was born – named Alexander Hamilton. Talk about setting up sibling rivalry. Incidentally, the name Alexander is still passed down, but we have had no more Aarons…

By: Witty Nickname

Witty Nickname — Thu, 14 May 2009 17:03:00 +0000

It shouldn’t matter which way you swing politically, I’m a Republican and I think Cheney is out of line. Just like I thought Carter was wrong for criticizing Bush in office.

Carter and Cheney…. isn’t it funny that the people who are the loudest critics are the same ones who…..

By: Joel

Joel — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:30:00 +0000

Also, for those of you who live in the New York City area, just north of Hoboken, NJ, there is a memorial commemorating the duel, next to the rock Hamilton supposedly leaned upon after being shot.

By: Erik

Erik — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:29:00 +0000

Thomas Hendricks appeared on paper money, so he’s not so much a “coin” legend. A $10 silver certificate wouldn’t be particularly appealing to coin collectors, unless they also collect paper money.

By: Joel

Joel — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:27:00 +0000

Alexander Hamilton is one of my favorite historical figures, American or otherwise. That being said, he vindictively ruined Aaron Burr’s political career for ousting Hamilton’s father-in-law from Hamilton’s father-in-law’s senate seat. Hamilton is also considered to be the driving force behind getting the House to pick Jefferson over Burr, even though the Federalist party, in control of the House, despised Jefferson more than Burr. Hamilton shot first; by most historian’s consensus, purposefully missing. But he fired into a tree only a few feet above Burr’s head (instead of into the ground, as is custom when purposefully missing), and Burr, mistaking his miss for an actual attempt on his life, shot to kill in return, which could be considered justifiable in the traditions of dueling at the time.

The problem is the people who defined the history surrounding the duel (and enforced the law at the time) were close with Hamilton, or Federalists, so there is some obvious bias to the way history has portrayed Burr. However, it’s not necessarily wrong; as this article mentioned, Burr was disliked even within his own party.