What is Maria Reynolds?
'''Maria Reynolds''' was a woman who lived in the 1700s. She is famous for having an affair with [[Alexander Hamilton]].<ref name=Smith>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/alexander-hamiltons-adultery-and-apology-18021947/|magazine=Smithsonian Magazine|title=Alexander Hamilton’s Adultery and Apology|author=Angela Serratore|date=July 25, 2013 |access-date=January 10, 2021}}</ref> In 1791, when Maria Reynolds was 23, she went to Alexander Hamilton's house in [[Philadelphia]]. She said her husband had left and she wanted to go back to [[New York]], where she was from. He offered to lend her money so she could go. Instead, the two of them began a [[sexual intercourse|sexual relationship]]. Later, Maria Reynolds' husband, James Reynolds, [[blackmail]]ed Alexander Hamilton: He told Hamilton to give him money or else he would tell Hamilton's [[Elizabeth Hamilton|wife]] that he had slept with Maria. Hamilton paid James Reynolds and continued to visit Maria Reynolds.<ref name=Smith /> James Reynolds continued to write letters to Hamilton asking for money, and Hamilton paid. When James Reynolds was arrested for forgery, he asked Hamilton for help. Hamilton did not help. James Reynolds told Hamilton's political enemies, [[Democratic Republicans]] [[James Monroe]], [[Frederick Muhlenberg]], and Abraham Venable about the affair. He also said Hamilton had committed other crimes. Monroe, Muhlenberg and Venable talked to Hamilton. They believed he had had an affair but had not committed other crimes. But Monroe made a copy of letters Hamilton's had written to Maria Reynolds and gave it to [[Thomas Jefferson]].<ref name=Smith /> In 1796, [[James Callendar]] wrote a book called ''[[The History of the United States for 1796]]''. In that book, he accused Hamilton of [[speculation]] and of the affair. Hamilton wrote a [[pamphlet]] called ''Observations on Certain Documents'' in 1797. He said in the pamphlet that he had had the affair but had not done any speculation. The public believed him.<