Aaron Burr

Aaron Burr (1756–1836) was an influential politician and the third Vice President of the United States. Though he had a prominent military, legal, and political career before his rivalry with Alexander Hamilton, Burr is best remembered for killing Hamilton in a duel in 1804.

Burr was born in New Jersey and educated at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton), graduating with honors in just three years. His father, Aaron Burr Sr., had been president of the college, and his maternal grandfather was the Great Awakening preacher Jonathan Edwards. Both Burr’s parents died before he was three years old, and he and his sister were raised by an uncle.

Burr joined the Continental Army in 1775. During the American Revolution, he married Theodosia Prevost, the widow of a British officer. They had one surviving child, Theodosia. After the war, Aaron practiced law in New York and served in the state assembly and as attorney general for New York. He continued his political career in the US Senate as a Democratic-Republican. In 1796, he was Thomas Jefferson’s running mate in the Virginian’s unsuccessful first bid for the presidency. Burr ran with Jefferson again, and nearly became president himself in the tied election of 1800.

Knowing Jefferson was not going to support him for vice president in the election of 1804, Burr ran for governor of New York, and lost. During the campaign, Hamilton’s alleged attacks on Burr’s character were published in the press. Burr called on Hamilton to retract his statements, and Hamilton refused. Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel to settle the matter. On July 11, 1804, Burr shot and killed Hamilton. Although he was charged with murder, he was never prosecuted and returned to Washington to preside over the Senate as vice president. In 1807, Burr was charged with treason for allegedly attempting to separate the western states from the Atlantic states and create a new country. He was acquitted due to the lack of evidence, but he never regained political power and influence.