Aaron Burr murdered one of the American Founding Fathers.
Aaron Burr Jr. -LRB- February 6 , 1756September 14 , 1836 -RRB- was an American politician .. He was the third Vice President of the United States -LRB- 1801 -- 1805 -RRB- , serving during Thomas Jefferson 's first term .. Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson. Vice President of the United States. Vice President of the United States. Burr served as a Continental Army officer in the Revolutionary War , after which he became a successful lawyer and politician .. Continental Army. Continental Army. Revolutionary War. American Revolutionary War. He was elected twice to the New York State Assembly -LRB- 1784 -- 1785 , 1798 -- 1799 -RRB- , was appointed New York State Attorney General -LRB- 1789 -- 1791 -RRB- , was chosen as a U.S. senator -LRB- 1791 -- 1797 -RRB- , from the State of New York , and reached the apex of his career as vice president .. New York. New York ( state ). New York State Assembly. New York State Assembly. New York State Attorney General. New York State Attorney General. U.S. senator. United States Senator. State of New York. State of New York. The highlight of Burr 's tenure as president of the Senate , one of his few official duties as vice president , was the Senate 's first impeachment trial , that of Supreme Court justice Samuel Chase .. impeachment. Impeachment in the United States. Supreme Court. Supreme Court of the United States. Samuel Chase. Samuel Chase. In 1804 , the last full year of his single term as vice president , Burr killed his political rival Alexander Hamilton in a famous duel .. Alexander Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton. famous duel. Burr–Hamilton duel. Burr was never tried for the illegal duel , and all charges against him were eventually dropped , but Hamilton 's death ended Burr 's political career .. After leaving Washington , Burr traveled west seeking new opportunities , both economic and political .. Washington. Washington, D.C.. His activities eventually led to his arrest on charges of treason in 1807 .. charges of treason. Burr conspiracy. The subsequent trial resulted in acquittal , but Burr 's western schemes left him with large debts and few influential friends .. In a final quest for grand opportunities , he left the United States for Europe .. He remained overseas until 1812 , when he returned to the United States to practice law in New York City .. New York. New York ( state ). There he spent the rest of his life in relative obscurity .