Chernow describes how both politicians "stumbled into the two great sex scandals of the early Republic." What were the scandals? How did each individual respond to the accusations? How were their responses consistent with what you read about them from the text?

The sex scandals of the early republic relate to Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton had been involved in paying funds to his lover's husband over the course of a year. His response was a lengthy, almost 100 page account of the affair. Jefferson never responded to the allegations that he had taken one of his slaves as a lover. They were ambitious and would do what it took to maintain and increase power, as such they both responded in tactical ways, which they felt would create the best opportunities for each of them.