Money Problems Everywhere

The Founders were not just morally complicated — many were financially reckless. Jefferson died $107,000 in debt, roughly $2 million today, forcing the sale of Monticello and his enslaved workers. Robert Morris, who financed the Revolution, ended up in debtor's prison.

Hamilton was perpetually broke despite creating America's financial system. Washington was land-rich but so cash-poor he had to borrow money to attend his own inauguration. The men who designed American capitalism were spectacularly bad at personal finance, and their petty feuds rivaled anything in modern politics.