Conclusion

In the centuries that have passed since Alexander Hamilton’s lifetime, the impact of his vision has become ever more apparent. Although many of Hamilton’s proposals were controversial at the time, his efforts helped create institutions that have served as a bedrock for political and economic development in the United States. We get a sense of how these developments played out locally by turning to the primary sources that document events in Newport and Rhode Island. These primary sources also reveal that changes Hamilton promoted were made possible by the efforts of many people, from the mechanics banding together to form manufacturing associations to the state leaders building support for the Constitution when the prospect was contentious.

Image (above): Alexander Hamilton statue in front of the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C., by Carol Highsmith, Library of Congress