Hamilton: An American Musical (Drama) by Lin-Manuel Miranda

 

Hamilton : An American Musical (Drama) by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Biography of Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda is a multi-talented composer, lyricist, writer, playwright, rapper, and performer known for creating the hit musical Hamilton, in which he also starred.

Born and raised in upper Manhattan, New York, in a Puerto Rican family, Miranda showed an early interest in musical theater and music, writing jingles and songs for school and various political campaigns. He attended Hunter College High School in Manhattan, before studying at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. While at Wesleyan, he wrote the first draft of what would become his first Broadway musical, In the Heights. After graduating from Wesleyan in 2002, Miranda began work spearheading a production for New York.

After finding success Off Broadway, In the Heights premiered on Broadway in 2008. The musical follows the story of a bodega owner in Washington Heights and the community in that neighborhood. It was notable for its integration of rap and other vernacular music styles into the musical theater tradition. It won 4 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Choreography. Miranda played the main character and earned a Tony nomination for his performance. There is a film version in the works.

Hamilton: An American Musical was Miranda's next smash hit. After getting workshopped at the Public Theater in an off-Broadway run, it transferred to Broadway to overwhelming acclaim. It has won countless awards and been credited with reviving the American musical. Among its accolades are the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, and 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score. The cast album was at the top of the rap charts for weeks, and it continues to be one of the hottest Broadway tickets.

Miranda's other writing credits include the music and lyrics for Bring it On: The Musical, and the soundtrack for the hit Disney movie Moana. His next projects include writing songs for a live-action Disney update of The Little Mermaid, as well as costarring in the remake of Mary Poppins opposite Emily Blunt.

 

Summary

Act I

The musical opens with the ensemble giving a summary of Alexander Hamilton’s childhood in the middle of the 18th century, before the American revolution. Various cast members describe how a series of misfortunes set Hamilton on his path to fame. After a hurricane destroyed his island, his mother died, and his father abandoned him, Hamilton wrote about his traumatic experience. Impressed by his facility with language, people from his island raised money to send him to America to get an education. After catching the audience up to speed on this exposition, the play proper begins.

Arriving in New York, the ambitious young Hamilton seeks out Aaron Burr and asks for advice on obtaining an accelerated course of study like Burr did. Burr advises Hamilton not to talk so much, but Hamilton insists that he talks so much because he has passionate opinions. The two characters are established as foils for one another; where Hamilton is brash, outspoken and opinionated, Burr is careful, strategic, and less principled. When the two new acquaintances go to a bar, they meet John Laurens, Hercules Mulligan, and the Marquis de Lafayette. All except Burr are excited about the imminent American Revolution, cheering, “raise a glass to freedom.”

We are next introduced to the Schuyler sisters, who wander through downtown New York City enjoying the excitement of the changing social tides. Aaron Burr hits on Angelica, but she shuts him down. She then states that she has been reading Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, and is looking for a “revelation," expressing a desire for female equality.

We meet Loyalist Samuel Seabury, a farmer who is condemning the revolutionary Continental Congress (and all patriots in general). When he encounters the farmer, Hamilton criticizes Seabury’s condemnations. A message from King George arrives in America, warning the colonists that the king will do whatever he needs to do to keep the colonies under his control. The king sends General Howe and 30,000 troops to the New York harbor, challenging the colonial Americans' desire for independence.

Next we are introduced to General George Washington, who recognizes that the colonists are at a severe disadvantage to the British troops. He is frustrated that the rebel troops keep retreating. When Hamilton steals the English troops’ canons, showing that he is willing to take risks and break the rules for the sake of America, he wins favor with Washington. Meanwhile, Aaron Burr introduces himself to Washington, offering assistance and advice, but ends up offending Washington by criticizing the current state of the colonial troops. Washington asks Hamilton to help him with war plans, and Hamilton recruits John Laurens, Hercules Mulligan, and Lafayette to aid the rebellion. He sets Mulligan up on the British side as a spy and writes to Congress to convince them to send supplies. He wants to use an element of surprise to defeat the British.

Some time later, Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton are at a winter ball, and Burr tells Hamilton that if he marries a Schuyler sister he will become rich. Eliza Schuyler sees Hamilton and falls in love with him at first sight. She tells her sister, Angelica, that Hamilton is the one, so Angelica introduces them. Alexander and Eliza write love letters for the next two weeks, and then get engaged.

On the day of the wedding, Angelica reveals to the audience that she is also in love with Alexander, but gave him to Eliza because he was poor and she was expected to marry rich, and because she knew Eliza was in love with him. As Hamilton’s friends congratulate Hamilton on his marriage, they ask Burr about a woman he has “on the side.” Burr admits that he loves a woman named Theodosia, who is married to a British officer. Hamilton tells him to go after her, but Burr says he is “willing to wait for it.” Burr compares his life to Hamilton’s, noting that “Hamilton faces an endless uphill climb,” and he “wastes no time,” but Burr will wait to see what his own purpose is before acting.

Later, the American troops are dangerously low on supplies. Washington plans a surprise, night-time attack against the British, hoping for some help from the French. Washington makes Charles Lee second in command, but Lee proves unable to lead an army. When Lee criticizes Washington, Laurens challenges Lee to a duel, even though Washington has forbidden it. In the duel, Laurens shoots Lee in the side, so Lee yields. Washington is upset with Hamilton, who acted as Laurens’ number two. When Hamilton insists that he should be in charge of a battalion, Washington disagrees, saying it is too risky and that he needs Hamilton to stay alive, sending him home.

When Hamilton arrives home, Eliza tells him she is pregnant and that she wrote to Washington, asking him to send Hamilton home. Meanwhile, Lafayette secures aid from France, ensuring that the colonists will be able to defeat the British at Yorktown. Washington invites Hamilton back, and offers him a position in command.

1781—The Battle of Yorktown. Hamilton, worried about the possibility of a stray, accidental gunshot, orders his men to remove the bullets from their guns as they make a surprise attack. After a week of fighting, the British surrender. King George returns to the stage to reprise his warnings, and challenges America: “What comes next?” He tells them they don’t know how to lead or be independent.

Aaron Burr, who has married the woman with whom he was having an affair following her husband's death, meets his first and only child, a daughter named Theodosia. Simultaneously, Hamilton meets his son, Philip. The two new parents have a similar hope that they can build a country their respective child can “come of age with.” Both return to New York to study law, but Hamilton progresses much further and faster than Burr, becoming a lawyer and working on the very first murder trial in independent America. Given his talents, Hamilton is chosen to participate in the Constitutional Convention, a group tasked with forming the legal framework for the new nation. He shows up at Burr’s house in the middle of the night, asking if he will help defend the new constitution, admitting that Burr is a better lawyer than him. When Burr refuses to help write the Federalist Papers, Alexander calls him out for never having opinions and always standing to the side. Later, Hamilton recruits John Jay and James Madison to help write the Papers. Washington asks Hamilton to run the National Treasury Department. Angelica tells Alexander that she has married a rich man, and is spending time with him in London for a while.

Act II

We meet Thomas Jefferson, who has been the ambassador to France, abroad for the duration of the war. He returns to his home in Monticello, a plantation in Virginia. Washington has asked him to be the Secretary of State, and he is already Senate-approved by the time he returns. He goes to New York City, where James Madison asks him to help stop Hamilton’s financial plan, which, he believes, would allow too much government control. Hamilton wants the federal government to “assume state debts and establish a national bank.” Jefferson and Hamilton debate the plan. Jefferson argues that since some states, such as Virginia, already paid their war debts, they shouldn’t have to pay for other states’ debts too. He also points out that since America just escaped a government with too many taxes, it does not make sense that they should want to establish federal taxes in America. Hamilton responds that assuming the debts would make America wealthier in the long run, and then condemns Jefferson for supporting slave labor in the South. Washington tells Hamilton he needs to find a compromise and gain more Congressional approval, or he will most likely be asked to leave Washington’s cabinet.

Eliza implores Hamilton to take a break from work. She and Angelica are going upstate for the summer and they want him to join them, but Hamilton insists that he can’t vacation with them because he needs to get his plan through Congress.

When Eliza and Angelica are gone for the summer, Hamilton meets Maria Reynolds, who appeals to Hamilton for help, claiming she is being mistreated by her husband, James Reynolds. Alexander lends her some money and walks her home. When she offers herself to Hamilton, the two begin an affair that lasts for a month. Soon after, Hamilton receives a letter from Maria’s husband blackmailing him. Hamilton pays James Reynolds to not tell anyone (especially Eliza) about the affair.

Later, Hamilton, Jefferson, and Washington have a private meeting to discuss Hamilton’s financial plan. Jefferson and Washington agree to the plan, as long as the national capital, which was in New York City at the time, is moved further south (just north of Virginia, to modern-day Washington D.C.). Aaron Burr bemoans not being in the room when the deal took place. James Madison, who was working with Jefferson, gets the votes Hamilton needs to push his deal through Congress.

Aaron Burr defeats Eliza’s father, Philip Schuyler, in a Senate race, switching to the Democratic Republican Party in order to win. Hamilton considers Burr's running against Schuyler a personal attack, but Burr insists he was only taking an opportunity to advance his career.

Congress debates whether or not to aid French citizens in their Revolutionary War. Jefferson argues that France provided aid during the American Revolution and America promised to aid France. He furthers his argument, saying that France did not ask for land, only help with their revolution. Hamilton counters that France is too much of a mess after going through their own Revolution, so getting involved could harm America. He also argues that America received aid from and signed a treaty with the King, who is now dead. Washington agrees with Hamilton that the people of France don’t know who will lead them in the wake of the Revolution, making the situation too dangerous. Jefferson accuses Hamilton of betraying Lafayette. Burr, Jefferson, and Madison are upset that Hamilton “got Washington in his pocket.” The three agree to try and find some dirt on Hamilton by following the money to and from the treasury to see where it goes.

Washington tells Hamilton that Jefferson resigned from the cabinet in order to run for president, and that Washington is stepping down. But John Adams wins the presidency, and fires Hamilton immediately. Hamilton publishes a response, in which he criticizes Adams. Meanwhile, Burr, Jefferson, and Madison discover Hamilton's payments to James Reynolds, which, they believe, are evidence of some sort of illegal political deal. Hamilton proves to the men that he did not spend the treasury’s money and that he was paying to cover a sex-scandal. Worried about what his dissenters could do with this information, he publishes “The Reynolds Pamphlet,” in which he publicly admits to the affair. Angelica confronts Alexander about the pamphlet, telling him she stands by Eliza. When she finds out, Eliza burns the letters she wrote to Hamilton, in order to maintain her privacy and to write herself out of the historical “narrative.”

Later, Philip, Hamilton's son, defends his father from the criticism of another young man, George Eacker. Philip challenges Eacker to a duel, and Hamilton advises his son to fire his gun in the air when it comes time. At the duel, Philip starts to do as his father said, but Eacker fires before the count of ten, hitting Philip right above the hip. Eliza and Alexander are both at Philip’s side when he dies in the hospital. After the tragedy, the two reconcile.

The Election of 1800. Americans are disappointed with Adams’ presidency. Jefferson and Burr both run against him. Since it is clear that Adams will not be president, the race is between Jefferson and Burr. Madison suggests that Jefferson should try and get an endorsement from Hamilton. Burr openly campaigns against Jefferson, something unheard of at the time. When the time comes, the Federalist Party looks at Hamilton to see which way they should vote. Hamilton endorses Jefferson, stating, “Jefferson has beliefs, Burr has none.” Upset, Burr challenges Hamilton to a duel.

At the duel, Burr is paranoid that Hamilton is out to kill him. He notes that Hamilton “methodically fiddled with the trigger,” and was wearing his glasses “to take deadly aim.” Though Hamilton points his gun at the sky just as he told his son to, Burr shoots him. In a soliloquy, Hamilton contemplates the legacy he leaves behind and his imminent death. Burr regrets killing Hamilton, saying, “the world was wide enough for both Hamilton and me.” Both Eliza and Angelica are at Hamilton’s side when he dies.

The musical ends with Eliza telling the story of the Founding Fathers. She relates how she lives 50 years longer than Hamilton and works to uphold his legacy. She opens an orphanage in his name and sings the song, "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story."

Hamilton Character List

Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton is the protagonist of the musical. The entire show follows his rise and fall during the American Revolution and the beginning of the American nation. Born on an island in the Caribbean to a poor family and eventually orphaned, Hamilton had a rough childhood that he is ambitious to overcome. At nineteen he goes to America to get an education. Smart and extremely motivated, Hamilton does everything necessary to “rise” and earn the respect and authority he feels he deserves. He is a scrappy, ingenious, and opinionated man. His writing brings him a lot of attention, as does his tendency to argue with just about everyone. Passionate and opinionated, Hamilton frequently criticizes Aaron Burr for not being committed to any beliefs, and the pair share a respectful but contentious friendship.

Hamilton becomes George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War, and therefore is integral to the American colonists' victory over the British. After the war, Hamilton serves as the first Secretary of the Treasury. He is immediately removed from the president’s cabinet after John Adams is elected, but his influence on the nation was long-lasting. Hamilton was responsible for the structure of the American financial system, as well as creating the coast guard and the newspaper The New York Post. At the end of the play, he dies in a duel with Aaron Burr.

Aaron Burr

The main antagonist of the musical, Aaron Burr is described as one of Hamilton’s first friends in America. Though the two of them argue during the first act of the musical, they still consider each other friends, until Hamilton’s career continuously moved forward and Burr’s stagnates. When Hamilton endorses Thomas Jefferson for President instead of Burr, Burr becomes so enraged that he challenges Hamilton to a duel, during which he shoots and kills his adversary. Shortly afterward, Burr expresses regret at killing Hamilton.

Though he is the antagonist of the musical, Burr is a sympathetic and complex character. He is similar to Hamilton in that he is intelligent and motivated and wants to be an influential figure in the new nation. He is different because instead of tackling everything head-on with passion, Burr waits and sees how things will turn out before taking action. Throughout the musical, Hamilton accuses him of being wishy-washy and not having strong values. Before his duel with Hamilton, Burr switches parties just to run for a seat in the Senate, which would advance his position. This action is emblematic of Burr's disingenuousness and political strategizing.

George Washington

George Washington is a general during the American Revolution and the first President of the United States. During the war he is often frustrated with the colonial troops for being so weak and afraid. Instead of stepping forward to meet the enemy, they step backward to shoot from afar. Washington acts as a sort of mentor for Hamilton, and comes to depend on Hamilton as his right-hand man. He dies sometime after his second term as president, predeceasing Hamilton.

Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler

Eliza is one of the three wealthy Schuyler sisters from New York. She falls in love with Alexander the moment she sees him, and they soon marry. Eliza, the “best of wives and best of women,” is described as being reserved, trusting, and kind. When Hamilton reveals that he has had an affair, Eliza is very disappointed and angry with him, and sings a passionate ballad about destroying her and Hamilton's love letters. When Hamilton dies she honors his memory by doing everything she thinks he would have done if he had had more time. She interviews every soldier who fought with him, tries to make sense of thousands of pages of his writing, raises funds for the Washington Monument, speaks out against slavery, and opens the first private orphanage in New York City. Eliza is a loving and loyal woman to Alexander Hamilton, but she is also passionate and fierce in her convictions in her own right.

Angelica Schuyler

Portrayed as an intelligent and witty social butterfly, Angelica falls in love with Alexander Hamilton, but is obliged by her family to marry a wealthier man. She introduces Hamilton to her sister, Eliza, at a ball, and holds out an affection for him even after marrying a different man. It is suggested that Hamilton also loves Angelica, but this is not confirmed. He writes a letter to Angelica in which he opens, “My Dearest, Angelica.” Angelica is deeply disappointed in Hamilton when he has an affair, but she forgives him after he reconciles with Eliza, and she is by his side when he dies.

John Laurens

John Laurens becomes good friends with Hamilton. He works to end slavery and creates the first black battalion, which fought in the American Revolution in exchange for freedom. When Washington forbids Hamilton from dueling Charles Lee, Laurens does it instead. He dies sometime during the Revolution.

Marquis de Lafayette

A French aristocrat and military officer, Lafayette becomes friends with Hamilton and helps fight in the American Revolution. He obtains supplies and assistance from France, which gives the Americans an advantage against the British, allowing them to win the war at Yorktown. Lafayette returns to France with the intention to bring freedom to his own people, but ultimately fails.

Hercules Mulligan

A tailor turned soldier and a friend of Hamilton’s, Hercules Mulligan acts as a spy for the colonists and passes on essential information that helps secure a victory for the colonists at the Battle of Yorktown.

Thomas Jefferson

In 1789, Thomas Jefferson returns to America from France and immediately becomes the first Secretary of State. He disagrees with Hamilton on every possible political issue and fights for state rights, protecting the interests of the South. Threatened by Hamilton’s power, Jefferson tries to find something illegal that Hamilton has done to get him in trouble, but only uncovers the sex scandal with Maria Reynolds, which Hamilton publicly admits to before Jefferson can use it against him. Jefferson runs for president when Washington steps down. He loses to John Adams, but runs again the following election and wins, due to Hamilton’s endorsement.

In the musical, Jefferson is portrayed as a charming and flamboyant, but somewhat careless individual. He returns just after the war has ended, having played no part in the revolution, and brags about his foppish womanizing ways. While he is not an antagonist explicitly, he is the antithesis of Hamilton in many ways.

James Madison

Though he initially helps Hamilton write the Federalist Papers, Madison aligns with Jefferson to try to bring Hamilton down later in the play.

Philip Hamilton

Alexander and Eliza’s oldest son, Philip, is a self-proclaimed poet. He learns French and piano from his mother, and inherits his father's intelligence and charm. He dies in a duel, defending his father’s honor.

Maria Reynolds

Mistreated by her husband, Maria Reynolds appeals to Hamilton and has a month-long affair with him. This scandal is one of the key events that contribute to Hamilton’s career decline. Maria is a seductress and femme fatale of sorts.

Charles Lee

Charles Lee is a general who fights for the colonists and who George Washington choses over Hamilton for a command post. His command is taken away at the Battle of Monmouth because of his incompetent leadership. He blames Washington for the losses, leading Laurens to challenge him to a duel, in which Lee is injured.

Samuel Seabury

Samuel Seabury is a bishop and loyalist who takes to the streets and vocally urges people to support the king and Great Britain. He is met with substantial backlash, and challenged by Hamilton to support his beliefs.

King George III

The King of England, George is the monarch against whom the colonists are rebelling. George occasionally makes an appearance in the play to delivers a message, for example, threatening the colonists with death unless they remain loyal to the crown. His charming and upbeat manner contrasts with his often nefarious and chilling messages.

Peggy Schuyler

The youngest and least vocal of the Schuyler sisters, Peggy mostly follows her two elder sisters. Unlike her sisters, her relations with Hamilton are entirely platonic.

George Eacker

George Eacker is a New York lawyer who makes a speech disparaging Alexander Hamilton. He agrees to a duel with Philip Hamilton over these remarks. In the duel, which takes place at Weehawken, New Jersey, Eacker dishonorably shoots and kills Philip, who was aiming his pistol at the sky, a sign meant to show the shooter's intent to throw away their shot.

Hamilton Themes

History/Legacy

The theme of building a legacy that will stand the test of time is something that consumes Hamilton throughout his life, and by extension, the play. During the war, Hamilton is willing to die as long as it is for a cause that means something to him. The idea that “history has its eyes on you” haunts many of the characters. It is this idea that causes Hamilton to risk his marriage by going public with his affair, in the hope that he could preserve his legacy by controlling how the story of his dishonor is told. The sense that everyone has a history and a legacy is what drives the characters' ethical lives, and encourages them to work for what they believe in. This theme is echoed time and again in an oft-uttered mantra of Hamilton's, "I'm not throwing away my shot"—his shot being his one chance at creating a dazzling legacy.

Hamilton’s pride about his legacy is directly contrasted with Washington, who gives up his power after two terms in order to ensure that democratic principles aren't sacrificed for personal glory. When Hamilton dies, Eliza takes up his legacy and seeks to do good in the country for the remaining 50 years of her life so that her husband and family can be remembered honorably. Many of the songs in the musical address the question of how to uphold one's legacy, particularly the last song, called "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story." The question of one's place in history is central to the thematic world of the play.

War/Conflict

War and revolution shape both the characters and plot of Hamilton, as it is the American revolution that gives Hamilton his fame and success in the American government. Hamilton not only believes that war will help the country earn independence and prove its worth, but that it will help him to stand out in history and prove himself. At one point he says, “I wish there was a war, then we could prove we’re worth more than anyone bargained for." Having had to fight for everything in his life, Hamilton has an attitude that one's honor is worth risking in order to move up in the world. This applies to the future of the country as well. This attitude distinguishes him from the less determined Burr, who does not fight for anything unless he is sure it is advantageous for him.

Running out of time

The theme of time affects each of the characters differently. Hamilton is constantly afraid that he will run out of time, and his fear of the passage of time drives him to become a fiercely hard worker, ambitiously working long hours in order to positively influence the foundation of the country. Burr takes the opposite view, feeling he must always be careful and take his time in order to succeed. Laurens wishes to form the first all black battalion, however he is killed in battle before he can see this dream completed; in this way we see an example of someone whose dreams are denied them by the passage of time. Laurens' death seems to directly affect Hamilton's attitude during the second act, as he says, “I have so much work to do,” and from then on cannot draw his mind away from forming his legacy and completing his work. It is not until the end of the musical that Hamilton realizes the benefit of making peace with our limited time on Earth, when he says (about constructing a legacy): “it's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.”

Honor & Reputation

The structure of the duel is about protecting and defending one's honor, fighting against another man to stand up for one's self. In this way, the "duel" is a microcosm of the political atmosphere through which Hamilton is navigating. Throughout, he must defend his honor against people who would rather he had less power. In this way, honor is a central theme for the characters in Hamilton. When Philip challenges Eacker to a duel, he does so in order to defend his father's honor and uphold his family's reputation. Then, he behaves even more honorably when he does not shoot at Eacker in the duel. While it costs him his life, Philip dies honorably, meaning he did not do anything that might be interpreted as shady or disreputable.

When Jefferson and his cohort seek to get dirt on Hamilton in order to ruin his reputation, Hamilton decides to take matters into his own hands by releasing the Reynolds Pamphlet, which details his marital infidelities. Rather than let others bring dishonor to him, Hamilton opts to take control of his situation and take responsibility for his immoral actions. While his affair sullies his honor, his ability to be transparent and honest about it turns out to be an honorable tactic, and he is able to win favor with Eliza once again.

In the end, Hamilton dies honorably, not shooting at his rival, Aaron Burr. While he died prematurely, Hamilton's honor has contributed to his positive legacy, while Burr's reputation is as Hamilton's killer, a much less honorable designation.

Forgiveness & Reconciliation

While much of the plot is centered around the grudges and resentments that spring up among heavy hitters in the political realm, another important theme is that of forgiveness and reconciliation. Hamilton, for all his disagreements with Burr, tries to be forgiving and to make a way for the two men to get along, but their differences gradually become too great to overcome. The question of forgiveness comes up most starkly in the relationship between Hamilton and his wife, Eliza. After Hamilton has an affair, and then reveals it publicly in the Reynolds Pamphlet, Eliza is furious with him, and burns his letters in retaliation for her mistreatment. In the course of her passionate ballad, "Burn," it seems like she may never forgive Hamilton. After the death of their son, Hamilton goes to her so that they can mourn together, begging for her forgiveness and promising his loyalty to her in the future. In the wake of their shared tragedy, Eliza accepts Hamilton back into her life and they are reconciled.

Taking Action vs. Waiting

The primary tension between Burr and Hamilton is their wildly different approaches to taking action. While Hamilton is eager to act and wants nothing more than to jump in and get his hands dirty, Burr prefers to sit back and wait for the right time to act. From Hamilton's perspective, Burr's approach is less-than-honest, and often more strategic than genuine. Where Hamilton can be hot-headed, foolhardy, and overly opinionated, Burr can be underhanded, weak-willed, and reticent to the point of untrustworthiness. The rivalry between the two men pits the two different temperaments against one another more broadly, and a central question of the musical becomes about which tactic is more effective and wise in the long run. The two men become foils for one another, alternately revealing weaknesses and strengths in the other's logic.

Writing

One of Hamilton's greatest strengths, aside from his passion and zeal, is his gift with language. Represented theatrically by his abilities and talents as a rapper, Hamilton's gifts as a writer were influential in laying the foundation for America. He was the foremost writer of The Federalist Papers, which urged the people to adopt a strong federal government. His ability to write and be persuasive through text is one of the main attributes of his enduring legacy on the American governmental process, and this is an important theme in the musical.