Question 1

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, he arrived in New York in 1772, making him the only foreign-born Founding Father.

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: Hamilton’s son Philip died in a duel three years before Hamilton’s own fatal duel.

Accepted Answer

True. Philip was killed in 1801 defending his father’s honor. Alexander Hamilton then died in 1804 in a similar duel with Burr.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

True. He launched it as a Federalist mouthpiece. It still exists today, though his original paper folded later.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

False. Several Founding Fathers died in duels, including Aaron Burr's later victims. Hamilton is the most famous, but not the only one.

Question 6

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 7

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

Accepted Answer

False. Salmon P. Chase (Treasury Secretary under Lincoln) appeared on the $10,000 bill first. Hamilton’s $10 face didn’t appear until 1929.

Question 8

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