Impact of the Duel in Founding Brothers Essay

In John Elliss Founding Brothers the duel between Burr and Hamilton was a crucial event in Americas history not only because of its outcome but the ideas and motives behind it. In the same way as history repeats itself, the duel was an early model of how conflicts in America would be resolved during the countrys path to become a stable and strong entity. The reasons behind the duel and the ideas that were emanated by the duel were applied to every conflict America faced. The duel between Burr and Hamilton was significant because its principles were the basis for how the United States successfully grew into a country.

A principle seen through the duel and can be seen in American history was the willingness to die for ideals and beliefs. Hamiltons refusal to apologize to Burr, due to his abiding conviction that his libels of Burr were all true, conveyed his wish to rather die than denounce what he believed to be true (38). Both contestants were more preoccupied with justifying their reasons for dueling and putting their personal affairs in order than the fact that death was a possibility. They had different motives for dueling: Burr to have revenge and Hamilton to maintain his reputation and credibility and to each, the reasons were sufficient enough to give up their lives and thus were more important than their own lives. In the same way America became a country marked by patriotism that stood and fought for what they believed in.

Another striking idea shown through the duel was the desire to be remembered through history. Burr and Hamilton both saw the duel as a way to be regarded as part of such company of honorable and virtuous leaders and redeem their failures and shortcomings in their political careers (47). The two men saw the duel as another obstacle in which they had to overcome in order for America to prosper because they thought it would show the people their integrity and character, despite the ironic but violent and barbaric nature of the duel. The universal wish to be remembered through history permeated American history: every individual, whether good or bad, wanted to be a part of something great and Burr and Hamilton were no exceptions. This duel was a profound example of individuals being permanently embedded in history. Burr and Hamiltons showdown became legendary; the phrase, The Duel became interrelated with the two famous rivals.

Perhaps the most striking principle that was presented in the duel was the need for problems to be resolved. For 15 years Burr held a grudge against Hamilton because of Hamiltons comparison of Burr to Catiline and other similar negative comments; this made his patience run out (35). The ongoing politically and personally intertwined conflict which could have been resolved earlier or even entirely avoided, instead escalated into an event that impacted two mens lives and the course of America. This feud was to the extreme: Just as most duels in this era did not end in death, most negotiationsdid not end in duels (35). The tragic end of this conflict showed the need to resolve problems efficiently in order for the outcome to be beneficial for both parties. Likewise in Americas growth as a country, it needed to solve conflicts quickly like the issue on slavery, which would later culminate into the Civil War.

The infamous Burr-Hamilton duel provided a parallel to Americas path in becoming a strong and successful country. The principles that were emanated by this fight applied to many other American conflicts. Even though its purpose wasnt to become a reminder of the ideals behind the growth of America, it became a source and a model on which America was built upon.