He intentionally fired into the air, but his political rival, Aaron Burr, took deadly aim and fatally shot him in a duel this day, July 11, 1804. Born in the West Indies, he fought in the Revolution and served as aide-de-camp to Gen. Washington. He helped write the Constitution and convinced the states to ratify it by writing The Federalist Papers. His name was Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the treasury. In April of 1802, Hamilton wrote to his friend, James Bayard: "Let an association be formed to be denominated 'The Christian Constitutional Society,' its object to be first: The support of Christian religion; second: The support of the United States."