Hamilton most likely exaggerated his age

Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11 on the Caribbean island of Nevis, the illegitimate son of a Scottish immigrant father and a British West Indian mother (who just so happened to be married to someone else). Despite official records from Nevis stating that Hamilton was born in 1755, Hamilton himself claimed to have been born in 1757. Although there has been disagreement over this disparity for more than two centuries, the majority of contemporary experts concur that Hamilton most certainly changed his birth year on purpose, which is one of the most interesting facts about Alexander Hamilton.

James, Hamilton's father, left the family soon after Hamilton was born out of concern that the child's mother would be accused of bigamy. Hamilton's mother passed away in 1768, when he was probably 13 years old, making him essentially an orphan. He would have been a more appealing candidate for an apprenticeship with a local businessman if he had cut two years off his age. If Hamilton intended this, it was successful because he was swiftly hired by an import-export company and made an impression on his superiors. They chose to send Hamilton to the American colonies in 1772 so he could continue his schooling there. Hamilton maintained the charade, arriving in his new country at the self-declared age of 15, and entered politics right away. His perceived precociousness only served to solidify his reputation as a political prodigy.