The First Bank of the United States is chartered. Alexander Hamilton proposed the bank as a crucial part of his plan to help the new nation recover from the economic burden of the Revolutionary War. The bank began operating in Philadelphia on December 12, 1791, and was granted a 20-year charter by Congress. The bank's activities served both the federal government and the broader economy. It managed government finance by collecting tax revenues, paying the government debt, and providing short-term loans to the government. It also functioned as a commercial bank by taking deposits from and providing loans to private agents in the economy. In 1811, the First Bank of the United States closed after Congress voted to end its charter.
