Alexander Hamilton, a Revolutionary War officer, the person who designed the United States' financial system, and one of the Founding Fathers, is the most important person born on January 11. Full Name: Alexander Hamilton; Job: Lawyer, politician, Revolutionary War officer, Founding Father of the United States, first Secretary of the Treasury, political economist, and author of the Federalist Papers; Country of Origin: Born in Nevis, an American (originally a British subject in the West Indies, later a well-known American statesman); Born: January 11, 1755, or 1757 (the year is still up for debate among scholars; many modern sources say 1755 based on probate records, but Hamilton often said 1757); Place of birth: Charlestown, Nevis, British West Indies (now Saint Kitts and Nevis); Generation: Revolutionary generation / Founding Fathers generation; Chinese Zodiac: Wood Pig (if born in 1755) or Fire Monkey (if born in 1757)—year uncertain due to a disputed birth year; Zodiac Sign: Capricorn; Age in 2026: 271 (if born in 1755) or 269 (if born in 1757) (deceased); Marital Status: Married to Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler Hamilton from 1780 until his death in 1804; Children: Eight children—Philip, Angelica, Alexander Jr., James Alexander, John Church, William Stephen, Eliza (Elizabeth), and Philip (the younger)—noting that one son named Philip predeceased Hamilton, and a second son subsequently bore the same name. Description: Hamilton was born out of wedlock to Rachel Fawcett and James Hamilton. He was orphaned as a teenager on Nevis and St. Croix. In a published letter about a hurricane, he showed wonderful writing and math skills. Local patrons helped him pay for his education in the North American colonies, where he went to King's College (Columbia). He fought bravely in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, became a trusted aide-de-camp to George Washington, and then led a battalion at the important Siege of Yorktown. He became a well-known nationalist who pushed for a strong union and a strong central government. After the war, he became one of New York's best lawyers and worked with James Madison and John Jay to write the Federalist Papers. Most of the essays in these papers strongly argued for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and changed how people thought about federal authority and judicial review. Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury (1789–1795) and set up the financial system for the new country. He paid off the Revolutionary War debts of the federal and state governments, set up a national bank, created a tax system and customs service, encouraged manufacturing, and stabilized public credit. These policies were the basis for American capitalism, and they often clashed with Thomas Jefferson's vision of an agrarian society. He led the early Federalist Party, supported the Neutrality Proclamation, and set the tone for foreign policy with Britain and France. He became a controversial figure, with people criticizing him for being elitist, how he handled the Whiskey Rebellion, and the Reynolds affair, which was one of America's first big political sex scandals. He publicly admitted to these things in order to clear up any accusations of corruption. His long-running feud with Aaron Burr and his efforts to stop Burr's political goals in both New York and national politics ended in the famous duel at Weehawken, New Jersey, on July 11, 1804. The next day in New York City, Hamilton succumbed to his serious injuries. Following this, Trinity Church in Manhattan buried him. In modern times, his legacy has been brought back to life through academic work and the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, which focuses on his immigrant background, political beliefs, and complicated personal life. His face is still prominent on the ten-dollar bill, which is a symbol of the country's financial and institutional history. Reason for Death: Died on July 12, 1804, in New York City, New York, USA, from a gunshot wound he got during a pistol duel with Vice President Aaron Burr the day before. The wound was so bad that it killed him.