3. Alexander Hamilton
In the earliest days of the republic, Alexander Hamilton argued that the Constitution contained within it implied powers, while opponents to his view claimed that any powers not specifically spelled out in the document were relegated to the states. Hamilton’s view won out when he used the implied powers to have the federal government assume the responsibility for funding the national debt. One of his most vocal opponents later used Hamilton’s argument to justify the purchase of Louisiana. Hamilton’s view of the implied powers within the Constitution has been a subject of debate and contention throughout American history, and his influence is felt with every presidential act.