Hank Paulson
Photo by Brendan Smialowski
When he was nominated, Hank Paulson was compared to these four, the most illustrious Treasury secretaries in U.S. history.
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Alexander Hamilton
1789 to 1795. Founded the U.S. Mint; centralized economic decisionmaking; formed the first party in the U.S., the Federalists; persuaded Congress to impose the tax that led to the Whiskey Rebellion.
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Albert Gallatin
1801 to 1814. The longest-serving Treasury secretary; lowered the national debt, allowing the U.S. to make the Louisiana Purchase without a tax hike; helped fund Lewis and Clark's expedition.
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Henry Morgenthau
1934 to 1945. Helped devise the plan for the post-World War II occupation of Germany and oversaw the Bretton Woods conference, which established the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
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Robert Rubin
Photo by Matthew Mendelsohn
1995 to 1999. Oversaw years of prosperity; helped forge trade deals and balance the federal budget; averted damage from monetary crises in Mexico, Russia, and Southeast Asia.
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