Aaron Burr Jr. (1756–1836) was a central yet divisive figure in early American history, serving as the third Vice President of the United States. Primarily remembered for killing Alexander Hamilton in an 1804 duel and his later trial for treason, he was also a distinguished Revolutionary War officer and an innovative political strategist who helped build the Democratic-Republican Party . His life was marked by extreme highs of political power and deep troughs of personal and professional ruin. Early Life and Revolutionary Service
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Burr was the son of Reverend Aaron Burr Sr., the second president of Princeton, and the grandson of renowned theologian Jonathan Edwards. Orphaning at age two, he was raised by an uncle and demonstrated precocious academic talent, graduating from Princeton at 16. aaron burr
: Serving under General Israel Putnam, he was credited with saving an entire brigade from capture during the British landing in Manhattan. Aaron Burr Jr