Hamilton vs Burr What Really Happened That Morning

On a July morning in 1804, the Vice President of the United States shot and killed the man on the ten-dollar bill.

Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr met at Weehawken, New Jersey, to settle years of political hatred with pistols — the same spot where Hamilton's own son had died dueling three years before.

Here's where the legend gets murky. Hamilton left a note saying he meant to throw away his shot — to miss on purpose. His pistol did fire, hitting a tree branch above Burr's head. But did he fire first, or only after Burr's ball struck him? Their seconds never agreed.

What isn't disputed: Burr's ball tore through Hamilton's abdomen and lodged near his spine. He died the next day. Burr was charged with murder in two states — yet never stood trial, and finished his term as Vice President.

So who was the villain? The story's messier than either man's legend. The truth: two proud men who couldn't back down.

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