The Duel

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• Learn more about Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, American history, biographies, and dueling.

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The most famous duel in American history climaxed a longstanding conflict between two of the most important men in the country. Alexander Hamilton, an impoverished immigrant from the West Indies, rose to become a framer of the U.S. Constitution and the architect of America’s political economy. Aaron Burr, grandson of the theologian Jonathan Edwards, served with distinction in the Revolutionary War and was nearly elected the nation’s third president. In 1804 they met in a duel, an honor match that changed the course of American history.

This website is the online companion to the PBS American Experience program of the same name. Not only does it describe the events leading up to the duel, it also gives mush information about the lives of both Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr and the time in which they lived.

The site details the history of dueling and an outline of the official rules of dueling and points of honor. There is also in-depth information about Aaron Burr’s Conspiracy of Treason and Alexander Hamilton’s role in the development of the Constitution and the county’s economic system.

Included in the site is biographical information on principle people involved with Hamilton and Burr as well as information on the events of the time. A teacher’s guide provides suggestions for classroom discussions and activities.