Lecture: Hamilton’s Report

The Paterson Museum Foundation invites you to join us on Zoom on Tuesday, September 12th at 7pm as public historian and author of Hamilton Versus Wall Street, Nancy Spannaus, presents Hamilton’s Report on Manufactures: The Ideas That Shaped Our World.

In December of 1791, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton issued one of the most important state papers in U.S. history, his Report on the Subject of Manufactures. That paper defined principles of political economy, which were the foundation for defending the liberties won in the Revolutionary War, and fulfilling the goals outlined in the Preamble of our Constitution.

At the same time, however, Hamilton was initiating what could be called a pilot project for his manufacturing perspective, the creation of the Society for Useful Manufactures at Passaic Falls and the city of Paterson! The history of Paterson’s success as a manufacturing center and Hamilton’s ideas are inextricably linked.

On September 12, Spannaus will discuss Hamilton’s economic perspective and its long-lasting impact on U.S. and world history. As Leonard Zax, founder and president emeritus of the Partnership for Paterson put it in his review of Spannaus’ book, “Nancy Spannaus properly lifts Hamilton’s Report on Manufactures to a place of supreme importance in the annals of American economic history.”
In her talk, Spannaus will also take on a number of the myths which have prevented Americans from implementing his approach today.

This lecture will be presented virtually, via zoom. The lecture is free of charge, but donations to the Paterson Museum Foundation are requested. Donations can be submitted via paypal or check. For more information on the program, or to register for the Zoom link, please email events@patersonmuseumfoundation.org.