ك Woodrow Wilson said he had “genius enough to have made him immortal, and unschooled passion enough to have made him infamous.”

Woodrow Wilson said he had ك“genius enough to have made him immortal, and unschooled passion enough to have made him infamous.”

‼ Revolutionary War occurred during his prime

‼ Witnessed rise of Washington in spotlight

‼ Lived through Articles of Confederation, Constitutional signing

‼ 1804 Napoleon became Emperor of France, just generally conquering Europe

‼ 1804 Lewis and Clark Expedition set off

‼ War of 1812 during lifetime

Born February 6, 1756 in Newark, NJ to the Reverend Aaron and Esther Burr

His father & grandfather were the 2nd & 3rd president of Princeton respectively

Burr Jr. was orphaned at the age of 2, his parents and grandparents dying within 1 year of each other

He was sent to live with his uncle Timothy Edwards, but later ran away and tried to become a sailor.

Excelling in school, Burr studied theology at Princeton and later majored in law at Tapping Reeve

Tapping Reeve

During the Revolutionary War, Burr served under Benedict Arnold, George Washington and Israel Putnam

During the war Burr became a distinguished field officer

After the Brits were defeated Burr moved into New York City to begin practicing law

Admitted to Bar in 1782

State Assembly (1784-85)

State Attorney General (1789-91)

Served as US Senator (1791-97)

And again in the State Assembly (1797-99)

ж Burr was recruited to run with Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 election

ж This was only so that the federalists would not get the electoral votes of New York, in which both Burr & Alexander Hamilton lived for numerous years

ж Burr and Jefferson both got the same amount of electoral votes

ж Tie broken in House in Jefferson’s favor since Hamilton considered him the “less of two evils”

ж First prominent American man to enthusiastically embrace and publicly endorse some radical feminist views on the equal education of women

ж He used these principles to give his teenage daughter, Theodosia, a "man's education" which would equip her for the three roles in life he envisioned for her: queen, president, or empress

Burr married friend Tapping Reeve’s sister Sally هللا

Daughter Theodosia born June 1783 هللا

Wife became nearly invalid after birth, heavily in debt هللا

Wife dies in 1794, Theodosia was 11 years old هللا

At 77 years old, marries Madame Jumel هللا

Recklessly uses wife’s money, separate هللا

Burr commits adultery, fathers 2 illegitimate children هللا

Burr was divorced the day he died by his 2nd wife هللا

₪Volunteered for Col. Benedict Arnold in expedition against Quebec w/ Matthias Ogden @ Cambridge

₪ During attack, only Burr & his Indian guide survived out of his regiment.

₪ Rose to the rank of distinguished Field Officer

₪ Became a Lieutenant Colonel and after the Battle of Monmouth, he resigned (1779)

₪ Served under Washington at Valley Forge, no complaints

₪ Almost involved in Conway Cabal

₪ Plot at Valley Forge to rid Colonial army of Washington

₪ Commanded a regiment that repulsed a raid of 2500 Tories

Passed bar in 1782 despite Alexander Hamilton’s attempts to thwart كhim

Opened a law office in Albany, NY later that year ك

∫ Elected to State Assembly (1784-85)∫ Was then appointed to New York State Attorney General from 1789 to 1791∫ Served as US Senator (1791-97)

∫ Won over Hamilton’s father-in-law Gen. Schuyler, contributing to ongoing feud

∫ Served again in the State Assembly (1797-99)∫ Turned Tammany Hall into a political machine

∫ Elected to the position of Vice-President in 1800 under Thomas Jefferson

∫ Tied in electoral votes, but Jefferson won the presidency because Hamilton considered him the “lesser of 2 evils”

Ran for governor of New York in 1804, but lost due to attacks by Hamilton

A letter written by Hamilton attacking Burr as unfit for public office אwas published Apr. 24, 1804

Burr took especially lots of personal offense to this א

Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel, pistols at dawn א

Duel took place on July 11, 1804 in Weehawken, NJ א

Hamilton was mortally wounded, dying several days later א

Major contributor to the decline of Federalists א

¶ During the winter of 1803-1804 Burr joined up with some Federalist congressmen in New England

¶ Plotted to establish a “northern confederacy” consisting of New Jersey, New York, New England, and Canada

¶ Hoped to have help from Britain with idea

¶ Needed Burr to convince New York to go along with plan.

¶Northern Federalists pledged support to Burr’s gubernatorial campaign in return for New York.

¶ The only reason the federalists turned to Burr was because Hamilton himself rejected the plan

₫ After Vice-Presidency Burr went out west for some casual conspiring with his friend James Wilkinson

₫ It is believed that he intended to set up a nation, independent from the United States, in the Mississippi Valley

₫ Others thought he wanted to capture then Mexican territories in nowadays Texas, New Mexico & California

₫ Burr might also have asked the Brits for $500,000 & naval support in order to take over the land west of Appalachia and create an empire with him as the leader

₫ Burr meets on Blennerhassett’s Island with Harman Blennerhasset, talks to Blennerhassett about plans, gains his support

₫ Meets General Wilkinson at Ft. Massac, who provides Burr with a barge, sailors, and letter of introduction to friends in New Orleans

Burr meets Daniel Clark – promised $50,000 to support projects, traveled to Mexico to gauge attitudes towards possible insurrection in the US

Clark comments that he “Might be a duke” in new empire

Burr leaves New Orleans on July 1805

Meets with Wilkinson again in St. Louis

Wilkinson “suspects” Burr of treason in self-serving letter to Jefferson

Burr then travels to Western Pennsylvania to meet with Colonel Morgan and sons

Attempts to enlist – revealed shocking plans; Morgan sends letter to Jefferson

№ Burr returns to Blennerhassett’s Island to make final preparations

№ Purchases 15 boats for 500 men and provisions

№ Gives $4000 to Andrew “AJ” Jackson to buy 4 more boats

№ Burr promises part of his 300,000 acres of land on Washita River to volunteers

№ Wilkinson abandons Conspiracy and sends troops to the Mississippi Valley to be on alert for an attack

№ Jefferson learns of conspiracy, alerts all government officials to be on alert

№ Burr caught by militia near Natchez, surrenders and put on trial

‰ Grand Jury listened to evidence, declared “not guilty of any crime or misdemeanor against the United States” and condemns arrest

‰ Burr released, disguises self as boatman and disappears into wilderness

‰New warrant for arrest after new evidence found

‰ Burr arrested mid-February in Alabama, taken to Richmond

‰ John Marshall judge at trial, District Attorney George Hay, Defense Attorney Edmund Randolph

‰ Hay argues for treason and high misdemeanors

‰ Randolph argues that no overt act of treason committed

‰ Actual trial begins on May 22, 1807

╪ Marshall ruled insufficient evidence for treason, set trial for high misdemeanors

╪ June 15 Wilkinson arrives, testifies

╪ Grand Jury indicts for treason AND high misdemeanors

╪ Burr pleads not guilty

╪ Jury finds Burr

╪Burr still disgraced

Shortly after his acquittal for treason and while still under indictment for killing Hamilton, Burr traveled to Europe

Burr meets with Napoleon, attempts to persuade him to ally with Britain for joint invasion of US and Mexico

Burr unsuccessful in his venture, goes home

☺ Contested election of 1800 led to revisal of electoral process

☺ President and Vice President grouped on same ticket

☺ Assisted demise of Federalist Party, killed main leader Hamilton

☺ Case of treason led to definition of treasonous acts

N. York, 21 June, 1804.     Sir:

Your letter of the 20th inst. has been this day received. Having considered it attentively, I regret to find in it nothing of that sincerity and delicacy which you profess to value.

Political opposition can never absolve gentlemen from the necessity of a rigid adherence to the laws of honor and the rules of decorum. I neither claim such privilege nor indulge it in others.

The common sense of mankind affixes to the epithet adopted by Dr. Cooper the idea of dishonor. It has been publicly applied to me under the sanction of your name. The question is not whether he has understood the meaning of the word or has used it according to syntax and with grammatical accuracy, but whether you have authorized this application either directly or by uttering expression or opinion derogatory to my honor. The time “when” is in your own knowledge but no way material to me, as the calumny has now just been disclosed so as to become the subject of my notice and as the effect is present and palpable.

Your letter has furnished me with new reasons for requiring a definite reply. I have the honor to be,    

Your Obt. Servt.    

A. BURR    

Early in life, seen as precocious and striving

During political career, made enemies with many Federalists

Disgraced after repeated involvement in conspiracies, intrigues, and general mishaps

Seen as conspiratorial and philandering in hindsight

The word “gubernatorial” was used 3 times, including this use ئ

Aaron Burr, was not, in fact, related to either the Pope OR Hitler ئ

He was, however, related to Jonathan Edwards, who incidentally ئthinks that God will cast you into a pit of flames

Our group hopes sincerely that Ms. Moses has a sense of ئhumor…