The Duel was between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. Burr challenged Hamilton to the duel because Hamilton had been making demeaning remarks about Burr. The specific remarks that really upset Burr were that he was '"'unprincipled, both as a public and private man'"' and other similar comments, as well as Hamilton labeling him as the '"'the Catiline of America'"' (Ellis, 42). At the time, Catiline was well known as the '"'destroyer of republican government'"' (Ellis, 42), so this was a horrible insult. Burr demanded an apology, but Hamilton refused, saying that he couldn"'"t remember everything he had said over a fifteen year period. Still angry, Burr challenged him to a duel. At the time, most people would only duel over personal issues but this one was basically political.

The duel took place on a narrow ledge near Weehawken. It was...