Alexander Hamilton, the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, was born
on January 11, 1755.

An early constitutional lawyer and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention,  Hamilton was a principal author of the Federalist Papers.  This document convinced skeptical New Yorkers to support the constitution.  He was also very influential as the first Secretary of the Treasury, establishing the First Bank of the United States and public credit. This laid the foundation for American capitalism and investing in stocks and commodities.