Alexander Hamilton is one of my favorite Founders. Go read that Wikipedia entry for a little insight into early American politics, including duels. Max Boot claims there were 16 duels between 1795 and 1807 to settle political disagreements. "The most famous was the one on July 11, 1804, in which Vice President Aaron Burr killed former Treasury Secretary Hamilton. (Imagine Dick Cheney plugging Robert Rubin.)" If you're so inclined, you may also enjoy Ron Chernow's biography of Hamilton.
