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Primary sourceBookFebruary 1775

The Farmer Refuted

Alexander Hamilton · February 1775

Hamilton's 1775 pamphlet grounding colonial rights in natural law, written as a rebuttal to Loyalist writer Samuel Seabury.

Hamilton wrote this pamphlet to further defend the American cause, showing his growing political voice before the Revolution.

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Title page of The Farmer Refuted, a 1775 pamphlet printed by James Rivington in New-York. The title reads 'The Farmer Refuted: or, A more impartial and comprehensive View of the Dispute between Great-Britain and the Colonies', with a Latin motto and translation, and the printer's imprint at the bottom.
Alexander Hamilton, The Farmer Refuted, 1775. Printed by James Rivington, New York.

About this source

What it is

This is a pamphlet published in February 1775 by Alexander Hamilton, his second published work, continuing his argument against the Loyalist writer Samuel Seabury (writing as "A.W. Farmer").

Why it matters

Hamilton again defended the Continental Congress, arguing colonists could oppose Parliament's acts while remaining loyal to the King. The pamphlet shows his developing political thought, grounding colonial rights in natural law. It reflects the intense pamphlet wars between Loyalists and Patriots in the lead-up to the American Revolution.

Look closer

  • Why does Hamilton try to separate loyalty to the King from obedience to Parliament?
  • What does the choice of a pen name by both writers tell you about political writing at the time?
  • What does the pamphlet's title page, printed by a well-known printer, tell you about how such arguments reached the public?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Alexander Hamilton on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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