AllMovie

Narrated by Linda Hunt, this episode of The American Experience takes an in-depth look at the duel fought between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, the duel that left Hamilton dead and Burr forever after a controversial figure. This video is a careful look into the context each man lived within and tries to explain how two very powerful men could come to settle their differences with gunfire. Beyond that, the video uses the figure of the hardscrabble Hamilton and the patrician Burr to draw some sobering conclusions about social class in the United States. For those with an interest in U.S. history, this tape will be of interest. Its sober tone and wealth of careful research make it appropriate for use in the college classroom.