Ambitions

eastern seaboard. Both fought for control over the Upper Ohio River Valley. Still knew and without large forces, the colonists didn't farewell in territorial conflicts. By the time Washington was assigned to defend the area that now consists of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky, the French and British both stood their ground, waiting for the other side attack first. On May seventeen fifty four, Washington and a regiment of roughly

a hundred and fifteen men left their encampment. Their orders were to arrive in the Ohio Valley and assist in building a stronghold at transfourt and the men found the only thing more miserable than traveling through the dense woods under a pitch black sky was the unrelenting rain. But soon they would encounter worse. A messenger arrived with bad news. During their trip westward through the Appalachian Forest. The French had captured the fort. They had hundreds of soldiers and

plenty of supplies. Washington and his troops were walking into a trap. Washington was young, just twenty one years old, and he had never been in combat. Determined to take back the fort, he ordered his men to press on. When the men finally reached an open clearing, the exhausted soldiers began setting up camp while Washington planned his attack. They hadn't made camp long when Tana Grisson arrived. He was the leader of the Ohio River Valley Hottnashawnee peoples

called the Iroquois by the French. During his fifty some odd years, Tanna Grisson had become a skilled warrior, and he was called the half King by the British. He warned young Washington that the French already knew he was there and planned to attack. The French and British weren't the only ones in conflict over the area. Several other Native American groups were also looking to take over the valley.

Tanna Grisson offered a few men to lead the British troops to a small glen near the mountain's crest, where the French search party made camp. Washington sent seventy five of the soldiers with the hon Na Shawnee, ordering them to stake out the area and await for their instruction. Washington and the other forty soldiers hiked seven hundred feet up Chestnut Mountain. The unrelenting rain made the trek across the ridge treacherous. By the time they reached the crest

on they had lost seven men. Washington spotted the French about the same time that they spotted him. The French soldiers grabbed their muskets, but not fast enough. Within fifteen minutes, their corpses lay scattered through the camp. The hot Nashawnee warriors killed ten soldiers. One frenchman's head was placed on a pole for Washington. The attack was a victory, but until then, the British and the French had only been involved in a Cold War. His attack started both what

we've come to call the French and Indian War. Here and the Seven Years War in Europe. Washington became the nation's first president and vowed to do better. Others followed a different plan. I'm Louren Vogelbaum. Welcome to American Shadows. Aaron Burr Senior and his wife led a charmed life. Esther Edwards Burgh was the daughter of an acclaimed theologian. Aaron Burr Senior's place as a prominent Presbyterian minister and president of the College of New Jersey later known as Princeton,

also placed the couple in high standing. They had a daughter, Sarah, and welcomed their son into the world on February sixth of seventeen fifty six. Great things were expected of Aaron Jr. Tragedy struck a year later when Aaron Sr. Died Prominent or not, His death left the family scrambling financially. Esther's father, Jonathan Edwards, took over as the college's president and moved in with the family for economic support. A year later,

Esther passed away. Jonathan died not long after. The children's guardian, William Shippin, took them in for a while before sending them to live with their uncle, Timothy Edwards in Philadelphia. Edwards was a successful lawyer and gave young Aaron the best tutors when he was old enough to enter school. That tutoring paid off. Aaron excelled in all his academics. At thirteen, he applied to Princeton. The seventeen hundreds boys attended college at an early age, though the most prodigious

students didn't start until fourteen or fifteen. Some speculated that Aaron's family connections with the school had awarded him a spot, but he proved he could keep up with the best in his class. College suited him. At sixteen, Airing graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and continued his education in theology before studying law. However, there were no law schools in North America until the end of the seventeen hundreds. To become a lawyer, he had to serve as an apprentice. Eventually,

Burr moved to Connecticut for his postgraduate studies. News of the revolution interrupted those plans for young men. War presented an opportunity if they survived. Burr saw the potential to make connections that would fast track his career. He put his studies on hold and enlisted in the Continental Army. Starting as a volunteer under Benedict Arnold, he rose through the ranks, becoming General Richard Montgomery's aide de camp, a

position n akin to a senior officer and assistant. The troops marched to Quebec, though the invasion was not as successful as anyone had hoped. During a battle on December thirty one of seventeen seventy five, Montgomery was fatally shot and died in Burr's arms. The snow prevented Burr from dragging the general's body off the field for a proper burial. The skirmish also left Benedict Arnold injured. Without commanding officers, Burr found a new assignment with George Washington as his

aide de camp. The two didn't get along well, and Burr was transferred to assist General Israel Puttnam. Under Putnam, Burr distinguished himself, becoming known for his leadership. He saved his entire brigade from capture in New York City. George Washington noted his bravery and promoted Burr to lieutenant colonel in seventeen seventy seven, placing three hundred men under his command.

At the time, he was just twenty one years old, Burr and his men defended themselves against a British led raid in New Jersey, and during the winter of seventeen seventy seventeen seventy eight they protected a pass leading into Valley Forge. All was not victorious, though BurrH and his men suffered a defeat in the Battle of Monmouth in June of seventeen seventy eight. Burr readily supported General Charles Lee, which would end his military career. Lee had retreated from

the battle, drawing ire and a reprimand from Washington. Burr cited health issues when he resigned from his command in March of seventeen seventy nine. He retained his hero status when he returned to studying law, though in seventeen two Burr was admitted to the Albany, New York bar. The year was busy and Burr made one more life change marriage. He had met Theodosia Bartow Prevost five years earlier in

September of seventeen seventy seven. During the war, Burr had just led his men to victory against the British on the outskirts of Hackensack, New Jersey. Theodosia was busy raising her children while her husband, a British soldier, was stationed in Jamaica. Burr rented a room for her until he received orders to go to Valley Forge for the winter. The following year, they met again and engaged in a

heated affair. When Burr left the military and returned to his studies, Theodosia kept up correspondence with both Burr and her husband. In Theodosia received a letter notifying her of her husband's death. She was now free to marry Burr. Their affair only became more scandalous when they announced plans to marry. Burr was ten years younger than Theodosia. The age difference didn't bother him, though his wife had experience and was highly intelligent. They moved to Albany to start

Burr's legal career. As with everything he had done in life, Burr excelled at his new profession. Along with his success, he earned substantial fees. He in Theodosia furnished their home and style for the most fashionable clothes, and through lavish parties. By seventeen eighty three, the couple moved to New York City, where Burr became interested in politics. He was elected to the New York Assembly that same year. By seventeen eighty nine,

he became New York's Attorney General. He also met another former soldier turned lawyer, Alexander Hamilton's, For a short time, they shared a law practice. Afterward, the two became adversaries both in and out of court. Though they remained cordial and professional, neither man liked the other. Then Burr won a seat in the U. S. Senate from one Phillips Skylar,

pushing Hamilton's quiet dislike to open contempt. Skylar happened to be Hamilton's father in law, and Hamilton's considered Burr's victory an act of war. Even more irritating to Hamilton's was Burr's habit of alternating between the Republican Democrats to the Federalists. Burr had long been a mediator between the parties and found that changing sides benefited his career. Theodosia was proud of her husband and worked as hard as he did.

She managed not only his law practice, but their affluent home in New York City and a summer residence in Westchester County where she could be closer to relatives. They had four children together, Sadly, only one survived, a daughter. Burr insisted share her mother's name. He noted on his daughter and ensured that she had an education equal to

any man. Young Theodosia could read and write by her sixth birthday and remained a voracious reader throughout her youth, and Burr asked his daughter's governess to help establish a school that offered the same level of education to other girls. In sevente the elder Theodosia died from stomach cancer. Lost without the woman he considered his equal in all ways, Burr grieved deeply. Then father and daughter threw themselves into

their work and promoted their ideals. Aside from women's education, Burr pushed to eliminate slavery and changed voting laws to allow those without land the right to vote. He also opened a bank that offered credit to the middle class, not just society's elite. Burr also fought for the freedom of the press, immigrants, and for non English descended citizens to run for office. In eighteen hundred, he returned to practicing law, taking on America's first murder trial. Perhaps surprisingly,

he partnered with Hamilton on the case. Their client Levi Weeks had been accused of killing one, Elma Sands. The two had had a passionate relationship that raised a few eyebrows. To salvage their reputations, Levi told Alma's cousin that they were eloping. On December twenty second, the two left town. Elma's body was found on January second. The court room was packed during the two day trial. Burr and Hamilton destroyed Alma's reputation, and the jury took less than five

minute to return a not guilty verdict. Burr decided to return to politics and run for president. Elections worked differently in the early eighteen hundreds. Whoever received the most votes became president. The candidate who received the second most votes became vice president, even if the two were members of different parties. Burr and Thomas Jefferson tied, leaving Congress to decide. An informant told Jefferson that Burr intended to steal the presidency.

Though berb seemed content to become vice president, when Jefferson took office, he gave Burr little authority or power. Hamilton's reveled in Jefferson's distrust of Burr and happily recounted how the vice president had once stolen a political office in the Senate years before. In eighteen o four, Burr chose to run for governor of New York, but Hamilton's slander and rumor that Burr had run against Jefferson again for

president caused Burr's popularity to fall. Burr was furious. He had dedicated years to service and study, and, in his opinion, Hamilton's pettiness had all but ended his political career. The tension brewing between the two men had come to a breaking point. The two adversaries exchanged angry letters. Burr accused Hamiltons of slander. Hamilton's tried to defend himself against the accusations, though he refused to stop publishing articles about Burr's shortcomings.

Hamilton's insisted that Burr was both dangerous and opportunistic. He adamantly proclaimed that ending Burr's career was his moral and religious duty. Dueling is a way to resolve disagreements, was falling out of favor and had become illegal. However, Burr challenged Hamilton's, who readily accepted both men had been involved in duels in the past. They settled on July eleven, eighteen o four, are and met in the early hours

of the Common Dueling Grounds in Weehawken, New Jersey. There are multiple accounts as to the events that took place, and some my witnesses claimed that both men fired. Others say that only one shot was fired that day. Hamilton's dueling assistant said that as the two faced off, Hamilton's cided that a duel was morally wrong after all, and

intentionally missed. It was a common dueling practice to fire a shot into the ground or another location, preserving the men's honor while ending the duel, But Burr's dueling assistant said that Hamilton's simply missed, and that Burr returned fire. Either way, the bullet penetrated Hamilton's stomach and lodged near his spine. He died the following afternoon. Burr was charged with murder. The charges didn't stick, though his political allies

pushed to have them all dropped. Burr's former title of vice president offered him immunity from prosecution until his term ended in eighteen o five. Fighting the charges took a toll, though Burr's reputation was in tatters and the legal fight had strained his finances, so Burr headed to the newly acquired U. S. Territory from the Louisiana Purchase, where he met with James Wilkerson, the U. S. Armies commander in chief,

and the territories governor. Together, the men planned to take over the land and turn it into their own personal empire separate from the United States. As the army's commander, Wilkerson agreed to provide the manpower needed to seize the territory from the US and the indigenous peoples who actually lived there. Burr wrote to and met with contacts for support.

While he was still the Vice President, Burr secretly contacted Anthony Mary, Britain's Minister to the US, and floated the idea that he could help them conquer the US Western Territory, but the British weren't interested in cooperating in this act of treason. When Burr's term as Vice president ended in eighteen five, he resumed visiting towns and cities to gain endorsement for his plans, including Bayan from a former U. S. Senator.

One Herman Blenner Hassett, a wealthy lawyer and plantation owner, signed on becoming one of Burr's most trusted allies. Several influential and prominent New Orleans business owners wanted to take over Mexican Territory and add it to the Louisiana Territory. They agreed to support Burr's plan. If they succeeded, Burr would become the territories leader, perhaps emperor. But all his travels and meetings hadn't gone unnoticed, and by the end of eighteen o five, rumors of a revolution had spread

to the East coast. A Philadelphia newspaper speculated that Burr and British allies planned to use military might to take Mexican Territory. They weren't far from the truth. Bird dismissed the rumors, though it wasn't long before he left for Blenner Hassett's private island in the Ohio River, where he and fellow co conspirators met in early eighteen o six. With the plan moving along just as expected, Burr wrote to Wilkerson in August. When he received that letter in October,

the commander reconsidered his part and backed out. The consequences outweighed the rewards. A knowing Burr planned to go forward with treason, Wilkerson made his own plan to save himself from the fallout. Rumors of treason spread over the country and Europe. Courts in Kentucky, where Burr had been actively raised in support and supplies, charged Burr with treason three times,

but he was acquitted in each instance. Then, on December nine, the militia found supplies that backed up the rumors aboard Burr's ships. By the time the militia descended on Blenner Hassett's Island mansion, the remaining co conspirators had already fled. After ransacking the home and not finding what or whom they had come for, they left confident that the scheme could still work. Burr arrived at Blenner Hassett's in late December. They had planned for a massive army. Instead, only a

hundred men came. Undeterred, Bird led the men down river to buy you Pierre. There, Bird learned that Wilkerson had betrayed him, had written to Jefferson detailing Burr's plan. The local paper had even printed the letter he had written to Wilkerson. Though Burrd tried to flee, he was caught in Mobile, Alabama and returned to Richmond to stand trial for treason in eighteen o seven, but months later Burr was acquitted and walked out of court a free man.

The verdict and Burr's actions and intentions are still discussed among scholars today. On January of eighteen o seven, Jefferson maintained that he believed Burr was guilty and announced that opinion to Congress. Burr and Jefferson didn't get along, but then Jefferson and Chief Justice John Marshall were also at odds. Marshall's subpoena President Jefferson insisting he delivered documents that Burr

and his lawyers needed to prepare for the case. Jefferson's refusal to acknowledge the subpoena and sending of only a fraction of the requested documents hurt the prosecution worse. Witnesses for the defense testified that Burr was at least a hundred miles away from Glenner Hassett's mansion when troops first gathered. Marshall limited testimony to focus solely on the events on the island, no other letters, meetings, or evidence that the

prosecution had was permitted. Treason was punishable by hanging, though the evidence collected and the letter that Burr had written to Wilkerson were damning. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall chose to stick to a more specific definition of treason, as stated in the Constitution. The clause reads, treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies giving them aid in comfort.

No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court. Marshall interpreted that, since no two witnesses could attest the Burr was present when the troops gathered, he had not declared war on the United States and was innocent. Jefferson moved to have Marshall impeached. Burr's acquittal came at a cost, though his reputation followed him and his political career was over. Several states brought

additional charges against him. Burr left the United States, claiming that he feared for his life. While in Europe, he unsuccessfully tried to persuade Britain and France to take part in more plots to seize land in North America. In eighteen twelve, another war with Britain seemed inevitable. Burr returned to New York and resumed his legal career. Though he found clients, he had become debt ridden. He lived a solitary life for years until meeting the wealth best widow

in America. Burr courted and hastily married Eliza Bowen Jumal in three Four months later, Jumal filed for divorce, claiming adultery and that her husband had mismanaged and frivolously spent much of her inheritance. Jumal hired the best lawyer from a prominent family of lawyers. The young man was more than happy to take her case, and he and Burr's

attorney battled out the divorce for nearly three years. Burr died shortly after hearing the verdict on September eighteen thirty six, and though he never said it, that young lawyer had to have felt some sense of justice in winning that case against the man who had shot and killed his father, Alexander Hamilton Sr. Many years before. There's more to the story. Stick around after this brief sponsor break to hear all

about it. Life for farmers is often hard, and conditions in the seventeen eighties in western and central Massachusetts didn't make it any easier. They lived in isolation and suffered from the lack of assistance when their crops failed or falling prices cut into their already meager profits. Jefferson's forward facing picture of near utopia in the United States didn't match reality. While other state governments passed pro debtor laws

that forgave debt in some instances, Massachusetts did not. Without such protection, the government seized farmers land and threw them into debtors prisons. Under the article's confederation, the central government's power was limited. At the time of its writing, the American colonists were in the midst of a war against a country that they believed ruled unfairly than with tyranny, so the documents creators ensured that the new central government

could not directly tax its citizens, but states could. A Massachusetts raised property taxes to pay its creditors farmers, most of them revolutionary veterans, had very little currency, and mostly they bartered with other locals for goods and services, and most of the veterans had been stiffed for their amount of work and service during the war. Some weren't paid at all. Unless they were wounded. They didn't get a pension. The increase in taxes was more than they or their

farms could stand. In August of seventy six, a band of farmers drafted a document detailing their grievances and sent it, along with suggestions to Boston's legislature. The letter was promptly ignored. In Northampton, Captain Joseph Hines took a different approach. He led hundreds of farmers to the local court house in protest. They blocked the doors, preventing judges from entering. Before long, several hundred more people gathered in solid air. Judges and

Worcester met the same resistance. The judges called in the militia to disband the rebels. To their surprise, many of the soldiers joined in on the protest. Their new leaders had employed the same method of government that they had fought to escape. In Pelham, farmer Daniel Shay was fed up. He had bravely fought at bunker Hill and others, and now he couldn't afford the taxes on the land that he had worked hard to buy. He joined the farmer's Rebellion.

Shea's reputation and bravery earned him respect from the other farmers. Initially, he refused to lead them, but eventually agreed. He and the others marched to the courthouse, beating drums and waiting weapons until midnight. He also led a group of six hundred to Springfield in September of seventeen. He wanted to negotiate with General William Shephard to allow the protest and in return the group would allow the courts to stay open, But as it turned out, the court was still forced

to close due to the lack of willing jurors. While there were other factions of the rebellion, Boston's elite believed Daniel Shay had orchestrated and led the entire thing. Attentions began to rise. Former artillery commander Henry Knox wrote to George Washington with his concerns over the growing revolution. Samuel Adams said that they should do what England had done to rebels, execute them. Still, the farmers had allies in

high places. Chief Justice William Whiting claimed that members of the state legislature were building their wealth off of the impoverished farmers. Realizing the protesters would not stop the legislation offered leniency to those struggling to stay afloat. They also offered rebels amnesty. There was a catch, though, the rebels had to take an oath of loyalty. A few might have known that a recently passed bill allowed sheriff's immunity if they happened to kill rebels, and called for stricter

punishment for anyone arrested. When the dust settled, the courts at at another bill ordering the death penalty for any militiamen who joined forces with the rebel farmers men. In January, Boston business owners funded Governor Bowden's private army. The army's mission was to end the rebellion. The governor called upon the public to join the mission to end the treason US protests. In response, Say and the other factions elected to raid Springfield's arsenal on September twenty five of that year.

General Shepherd believed that the rebels wanted to overthrow the government. At this point, he anticipated their arrival and called General ben Lincoln from Worcester to assist. When the General saw the one thousand, two hundred approaching rebels, they opened fire, killing two and injuring another twenty. The insurgents fled, but sent a message to the army demanding the bodies of their fallen comrades. The generals remained unrelenting, forcing the rebels

to retreat. Shay and his wife took refuge with Revolutionary War leader Ethan Allen. Later in new Governor John Hancock pardoned most of the rebels. He pardoned Daniel Shay, and new legislation put a cap on debts, cut taxes, and eased the farmers economic burdens. American Shadows is hosted by

Lauren Vogelbaum. This episode was written by Michelle Muto, researched by Ali Steed, and produced by Miranda Hawkins and Trevor Young, with executive producers Aaron Mankey, Alex Williams, and Matt Frederick. To learn more about the show, visit Grim and Mild dot com. From more podcasts from iHeart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.