Who became the first U.S. secretary of the treasury in 1789?

Alexander Hamilton became the first U.S. secretary of the treasury in 1789. President George Washington appointed him to lead the new department as the federal government began operating under the Constitution.

Hamilton faced the challenge of creating public credit for a nation carrying Revolutionary War debts. His financial program proposed that the federal government assume state debts, raise revenue through tariffs and taxes, and establish institutions capable of managing national finances. He also supported a national mint and a federally chartered bank.

Hamilton's service lasted from 1789 to 1795. His policies provoked strong opposition from Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and other leaders who favored a smaller federal government and greater authority for the states. The disagreements helped produce the first organized political parties in the United States.

Hamilton's work as treasury secretary shaped the early republic's economic structure. He also helped establish the First Bank of the United States and wrote many of the Federalist Papers, making him one of the most influential figures of the founding era commemorated by America250.