Aaron Burr

Aaron Burr
Name	Aaron Burr
Caption	Portrait by John Vanderlyn, c. 1802
Office	3rd Vice President of the United States
President	Thomas Jefferson
Term start	March 4, 1801
Term end	March 4, 1805
Predecessor	Thomas Jefferson
Successor	George Clinton
Office1	United States Senator, from New York
Term start1	March 4, 1791
Term end1	March 3, 1797
Predecessor1	Philip Schuyler
Successor1	Philip Schuyler
Office2	3rd Attorney General of New York
Governor2	George Clinton
Term start2	September 29, 1789
Term end2	November 8, 1791
Predecessor2	Richard Varick
Successor2	Morgan Lewis
Birth date	6 February 1756
Birth place	Newark, New Jersey
Death date	14 September 1836
Death place	Staten Island, New York
Party	Democratic-Republican
Spouse	Theodosia Bartow Prevost, 1782, 1794, Eliza Jumel, 1833, 1836
Children	Theodosia and others
Education	College of New Jersey (BA, MA)
Allegiance	United States
Branch	Continental Army
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Battles	American Revolutionary War, • Battle of Quebec, • Battle of Monmouth

Aaron Burr. He was a prominent American politician, lawyer, and military officer who served as the third Vice President of the United States under President Thomas Jefferson. His career is most famously defined by his fatal duel with political rival Alexander Hamilton, an event that altered the course of his life and cemented his controversial legacy. Despite significant early achievements in the American Revolutionary War, the United States Senate, and New York politics, his later years were marred by accusations of treason and conspiracies against the young republic.

Early life and education

Born in Newark, New Jersey, he was the son of Aaron Burr Sr., a co-founder and second president of the College of New Jersey, and Esther Edwards Burr, daughter of the influential theologian Jonathan Edwards. Orphaned as a child, he and his sister were placed under the guardianship of their uncle, Timothy Edwards. He entered the College of New Jersey at age 13, studying theology under John Witherspoon before graduating in 1772. He initially pursued theological studies but shifted to law, beginning his legal apprenticeship in Litchfield, Connecticut, under attorney Tapping Reeve.

Military and legal career

At the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, he joined the Continental Army and served with distinction. He participated in Colonel Benedict Arnold's grueling march to Quebec and was present at the Battle of Quebec. Later, he served on the staff of General George Washington but developed a mutual dislike with the commander-in-chief. He transferred to the staff of General Israel Putnam, seeing action at the Battle of Monmouth. Resigning due to ill health in 1779, he completed his legal studies and was admitted to the New York bar, establishing a highly successful practice in New York City and becoming a formidable rival to Alexander Hamilton in the courtroom.

Political career and vice presidency

His political ascent was rapid, serving as New York State Attorney General and then as a United States Senator from New York, where he opposed the policies of the Federalist Party. In the election of 1800, he tied with Thomas Jefferson in the Electoral College, throwing the contest to the United States House of Representatives. After a protracted deadlock resolved by Alexander Hamilton's influential opposition, Jefferson was elected president, with Burr becoming vice president. His tenure was largely sidelined by Jefferson, and he was dropped from the ticket for the 1804 election.

Duel with Alexander Hamilton

Long-simmering political and personal animosity with Alexander Hamilton culminated in a duel on July 11, 1804, at the Weehawken dueling grounds. Hamilton fired first, intentionally missing, but his opponent took deliberate aim and fired a fatal shot. Hamilton died the following day in New York City. The duel resulted in murder indictments in both New York and New Jersey, effectively ending any viable political future in those states and making him a social pariah.

Later years and death

In the aftermath, he embarked on a controversial expedition into the American frontier. He was arrested in 1807 near Natchez and charged with treason for an alleged plot to create an independent nation in the Southwest or Spanish Texas. He was acquitted in a trial presided over by Chief Justice John Marshall in Richmond, Virginia. He lived in self-imposed exile in Europe for several years before returning to New York to resume his law practice under the name "Colonel Burr". His final years were marked by poverty, the loss of his beloved daughter Theodosia at sea, and a brief, tumultuous marriage to the wealthy widow Eliza Jumel. He died on Staten Island in 1836.

Legacy and historical assessment

His legacy remains one of the most complex and debated in early American history. He is often remembered primarily for killing Alexander Hamilton, an event immortalized in literature, political discourse, and the modern musical *Hamilton*. Historians note his progressive views, including advocacy for women's rights through the education of his daughter and his support for emancipation. However, his alleged western conspiracy and his profound breach of the era's political norms have cemented his reputation as a brilliant but dangerously ambitious figure. His life continues to be a subject of extensive historical study and popular fascination.

Category:1756 births Category:1836 deaths Category:Vice presidents of the United States Category:American Revolutionary War officers Category:People from Newark, New Jersey