Will The Real Hamilton Summary

1. The thesis is “In the theater world, the music world, the scholarly world, and among educators of all kinds, Hamilton and Hamilton will be topics of debate for some time to come” (Freeman, p. 255)
2. In the article “Will the Real Alexander Hamilton please stand up?”, Joanne B. Freeman discusses the ways Alexander Hamilton has influenced American history, politics, theater and culture. She begins by explaining how historians believe the musical blurs the line between fiction and fact. Freeman then discusses how Americans’ perception of Alexander Hamilton has changed throughout different eras in history. She argues that Hamilton was not always considered an American hero but his ambition, personal flaws and passion are qualities that make him relatable. This proves Freeman’s point that the Broadway play is more about human emotion and struggle than the factual history of America. Freeman summarizes her conclusion by stating, “Hamilton’s melding of emotion and history gives the Founding an immediacy that is new to most of its audience, and thus all the more powerful” (Freeman, p.261).
3.
A) Freemans’ extensive knowledge and use of specific examples of the cultural perception of Alexander Hamilton throughout American history is definitely a strength of this article. She uses specific characteristics and ideals that America used to describe Hamilton during different eras. For instance, his nationalist views were praised at the end of the civil war and at the turn of the century, progressives respected the “…man who stuck to his principles at any cost” (Freeman, p.259). However, Hamilton’s economic views fell out of favor during the Great Depression when he was associated with Republican failures like Harding and Coolidge. Also, Freeman does a decent job at stating both sides of an argument when discussing Hamilton. She criticizes the play for historical errors but then applauds Miranda for portraying the human emotion and struggle during a pivotal time in American