Cambridge Springs Public Library

Born out of wedlock on a small island in the West Indies and orphaned as a teenager, Alexander Hamilton nonetheless rose to a position of power and influence in colonial America.. His military career brought him fame; his groundbreaking and enduring policy continues to shape American government today; his salacious and scandalous personal life and his heartrending end have made him immortal.

"In 1776, an elite group of soldiers were handpicked to serve as George Washington's bodyguards. Washington trusted them; relied on them. But unbeknownst to Washington, some of them were part of a treasonous plan. In the months leading up to the Revolutionary War, these traitorous soldiers, along with the Governor of New York William Tryon and Mayor David Mathews, launched a deadly plot against the most important member of the military: George Washington...

When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America faced a crisis. The new nation was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa's Barbary coast routinely captured American sailors and held them as slaves, demanding ransom and tribute payments far beyond what the new country could afford. Unfortunately, he found it impossible to negotiate with people who believed...