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Library Of Congress Makes Alexander Hamilton's Papers Available Online

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Library of Congress is putting the papers of Alexander Hamilton online, for the first time, in their original format.

While The Free Library of Philadelphia has a few letters from Hamilton in its Rare Books Collection, the Washington-based Library of Congress has the world's largest collection of Hamilton papers - about 12,000 items - from 1777 until his death in 1804.

The collection ranges from an outline of his speech at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, to a letter to his wife, Eliza, shortly before that fatal duel with Aaron Burr.

"I think it's great to digitize all of these historical records, to allow more people access to them," said President of The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia, Jon Bari.

The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia covers 20 historic sites during a 75-minute guided tour.

"We celebrate his role as a Founding Father, a member of the Constitutional Convention, Independence Hall. We also celebrate him at the First Bank of the United States," said Bari.

Hamilton, who had a residence along the 200 block of Walnut Street, helped create the nation's banking system, and a standard form of currency.

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