Alexander Hamilton and the Formation of the American Government In the United States, at the end of the 18th century, the American colonies were struggling with their identity. The Revolutionary War had given Americans their collective freedom, but the best way to exercise it was the subject of much debate. An American, Alexander Hamilton, felt the need for a common and solid economic and political basis for the states. This ideology stemmed both from his childhood on the island of St. Croix and from the difficult events of the Revolutionary War—influences that would later be instrumental in the publication of the Federalist Papers. Hamilton's childhood on St. Croix was not that of a typical founder. father. His mother took him and fled their home after his father refused to divorce him, putting a label on his mother and her family everywhere they went. This constant feeling of inferiority instilled in Hamilton a drive to succeed, and his way of fueling this motivation was constant study. In fact, when deciding to choose a university after arriving in the United States, a major criterion was the university's willingness to allow him to work in a shorter period of time, thus allowing him to complete his degree. earlier (Decarolis 125). As a result, he would eventually become one of the most learned men in the nation; this, he believed, required him to publish The Federalist Papers and other works that showed the ideology he had derived from his studies. Holy Cross also had an impact on his political views later in his life. The island was supplied by the slave trade and sugar cane plantations. On the surface, one could see the basis of Hamilton's hatred for the institution, as a slave on a sugar plantation was subjected to the most inhumane treatment available during this time period (Decarolis 77). Also, middle of paper......eandt, Dennis. “The American Miracle.” The New American, December 16, 2002: 27. Bigchalk Library. Proquest. Centerville HS Lib.; Clifton, Virginia, May 14. 2005 www.library.bigchalk.com. Chernow, Ron. Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Press, 2004. Cutler, Lloyd N. “If It Ain't Broke…Keep Your Amendments Out of My Constitution.” » Washington Monthly, September 1, 1997. Bigchalk Library. Proquest. Centerville HS Lib.; Clifton, Virginia, May 12. 2005 www.library.bigchalk.com. “Decarolis, Lisa M.” A biography of Alexander Hamilton. June 3, 2003. Department of Human Sciences. May 12. 2005. http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/B/hamilton/hamilzz.htm. Harper, John. American Machiavelli: Alexander Hamilton and the Origins of American Foreign Policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Randell, Willard Sterne. Alexander Hamilton: A Life. New York: Harper Collins, 2003.