Hamilton: A Primary Source Reader

This collection of web-based primary sources was originally assembled for a lower division undergraduate course in early American history. The writing assignment asked students to investigate the historical events behind the acclaimed Broadway hit, “Hamilton: An American Musical.” Each song has been linked with primary sources connected with the historical events artistically rendered in each song from the play. This is an ongoing work in progress rather than an exhaustive archive.

Act I

Alexander Hamilton	“From Alexander Hamilton to Edward Stevens, 11 November 1769.”  To the Royal Danish-American Gazette, 6 September 1772
Aaron Burr, Sir	Matricula of Kings College, 1774.  Poem on the Death of Elias Boudinot’s Child  From Alexander Hamilton to Alexander McDougall
My Shot	From Alexander Hamilton to John Jay, 26 November 1775 From Alexander Hamilton to the Provincial Congress of the Colony of New York, [26 May 1776]
The Story of Tonight	From Alexander Hamilton to Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens, [April 1779] To Alexander Hamilton from Marquis de Lafayette, 24 May 1788
The Schuyler Sisters	To Thomas Jefferson from Angelica Schuyler Church, 19 November 1788 From Alexander Hamilton to Margarita Schuyler
The Farmer Refuted	The Farmer Refuted
You’ll be Back	Proclamation of Rebellion, 1775
Right Hand Man	From George Washington to John Hancock, 16 September 1776 To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Burr, 20 July 1777 General Orders, Appointing Alexander Hamilton Aide-de-Camp to General Washington, 1 March 1777 From Alexander Hamilton to John Hancock, [18 September 1777]
A Winters Ball	From Alexander Hamilton to Catharine Livingston, 11 April 1777 From Alexander Hamilton to Catharine Livingston and Elizabeth Schuyler, [January–February 1780] From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 11 November 1806
Helpless	From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Schuyler, [2–4 July 1780] From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Schuyler, [August 1780] Registry of Marriage of Elizabeth Schuyler and Alexander Hamilton, 14 December 1780
Satisfied	From Alexander Hamilton to Angelica Church, 31 January 1791 From Alexander Hamilton to Angelica Church, [6 December 1787] Enclosure: Elizabeth Hamilton to Angelica Church, [8 November 1789] Angelica Church to Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, July 30, 1794
Story of Tonight	SECONDARY SOURCE: “The Lovesick Colonel,” in Ron Chernow, Alexander Hamilton. The “Tomcat” story may or may not be true. Evaluate how well the author deploys primary source evidence to support this claim.
Wait For It	Primary and Secondary Sources: Theodosia Prevost Burr
Stay Alive	To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Burr, 24 October 1778 From Alexander Hamilton to Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens, [12 September 1780]
Ten Duel Commandmenrts	Account of a Duel between Major General Charles Lee and Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens, [24 December 1778]
Meet Me Inside	From Alexander Hamilton to Philip Schuyler, 18 February 1781
That Would Be Enough	From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [10 July 1781] From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [13 July 1781]
Guns and Ships	To Alexander Hamilton from Marquis de Lafayette, 7 October 1779 To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, 12 July 1779
History Has Its Eyes on You	Expedition to the Ohio, 1754: Narrative
Yorktown (The World Turn’d Upside Down)	From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [18 October 1781] From Alexander Hamilton to Marquis de Lafayette, [15 October 1781] From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [16 October 1781]
What Comes Next	George III, Letter on the Loss of the Colonies
Dear Theodosia	From Alexander Hamilton to Vicomte de Noailles, [4 April 18 May 24 May 1782] From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [28–31 July 1784] Rules for Philip Hamilton, [1800]
Non-Stop	Trial Transcript: People vs. Levi Weeks Constitutional Convention. Plan of Government, [18 June 1787] Federalist 1 Federalist 15

Act II

What’d I Miss?	From Thomas Jefferson to Maria Cosway, 12 October 1786 Extract from Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith
Cabinet Battle # 1	Opinion on the Constitutionality of the Bill for Establishing a National Bank, 15 February 1791 Final Version of the Second Report on the Further Provision Necessary for Establishing Public Credit (Report on a National Bank), 13 December 1790
Take a Break	To Alexander Hamilton from Angelica Church, 4 February 1790 From Alexander Hamilton to Angelica Church, [7 January 1790] From Alexander Hamilton to Angelica Church, 31 January 1791 From Alexander Hamilton to Angelica Church, [2 October 1791] To Alexander Hamilton from Angelica Church, [15 August 1793]
Say No to This	To Alexander Hamilton from James Reynolds, 15 December 1791 To Alexander Hamilton from Maria Reynolds, [15 December 1791] To Alexander Hamilton from James Reynolds, 17 December 1791 To Alexander Hamilton from Maria Reynolds, [January 23–March 18 1792]
The Room Where It Happens	Jefferson’s Account of the Bargain on the Assumption and Residence Bills, [1792?] To George Washington from Aaron Burr, 13 March 1792 To Thomas Jefferson from Aaron Burr, 24 May 1798 To Thomas Jefferson from Aaron Burr, 3 February 1799
Schuyler Defeated	United State Chronicle, February 3, 1791
Cabinet Battle # 2	Cabinet Meetings. Proposals Concerning the Conduct of the French Minister, [1–23 August 1793] Cabinet Meeting. Opinion on a Proclamation of Neutrality and on Receiving the French Minister, [19 April 1793]
Washington On Your Side	To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 9 September 1792
One Last Time	Washington’s Farewell Address
I Know Him	From John Adams to George III, 20 February 1788
The Adams Administration	Letter from Alexander Hamilton, Concerning the Public Conduct and Character of John Adams, Esq. President of the United States, [24 October 1800]
We Know	To Alexander Hamilton from John B. Church, 13 July 1797 To Alexander Hamilton from James Monroe and Frederick A. C. Muhlenberg, 17 July 1797
Hurricane	To the Royal Danish-American Gazette, 6 September 1772  The Reynolds Pamphlet
The Reynolds Pamphlet	The Reynolds Pamphlet
Burn	Historians can only wonder how Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton reacted to her husband’s infidelity. Her letters on the matter do not survive. Compare Eliza’s silence with the “silencing” of Sally Hemings in Clarence Walker, Mongrel Nation: The America Begotten by Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson.
Blow us all Away	From Alexander Hamilton to Philip A. Hamilton, 5 December 1791 To Alexander Hamilton from Philip Hamilton, 21 April 1797
Stay Alive (Reprise)	Newspaper coverage of Philip Hamilton’s death.
It’s Quiet Uptown	To Alexander Hamilton from Benjamin Rush, 26 November 1801 From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [1803]
The Election of 1800	From Alexander Hamilton to James A. Bayard, 16 January 1801
Your Obedient Servant	To Alexander Hamilton from Aaron Burr, 18 June 1804 From Alexander Hamilton to Aaron Burr, 20 June 1804 To Alexander Hamilton from Aaron Burr, 21 June 1804 From Alexander Hamilton to Aaron Burr, 22 June 1804 To Alexander Hamilton from Aaron Burr, 22 June 1804
Best of Wives, Best of Women	From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [4 July 1804]
The World Was Wide Enough	Angelica Church to Philip Schuyler, July 11, 1804 David Hosack to William Coleman, 17 August 1804
Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story	SECONDARY SOURCE: “The Oldest Revolutionary War Widow,” in Ron Chernow, Alexander Hamilton

Suggested Essay Prompt (from History 17A, US History to 1865, Summer Session I; UC Davis)

Directions: 

1. Listen to the musical in its entirety. The entire play is set to music and is available on Spotify (Links to an external site.). All musical tracks are available on youtube, with links from Hamilton: A Primary Source Reader.

2. Read Hamilton: The Revolution and select one song which you would like to investigate for this week’s writing opportunity. Familiarize yourself with the backstory behind your song and take detailed notes on how Miranda rendered a historical narrative into a work of performance art.

3. Analyze the primary sources connected with your song at Hamilton: A Primary Source Reader. Some documents are more challenging than others, so chose a collection that aligns with your skill level and area of interest. You must read all documents linked to each song.

4. Write an essay of 350-500 words which answers the following question:

What is fact and what is fiction in Miranda’s “Hamilton: An American Musical” and why did Miranda take certain artistic licenses? Make an argument explaining WHY and HOW art can reveal new historical insights about the American Revolution that empirically based documentary history cannot. Your essay should compare Miranda’s theatrical rendering of historical events to the primary sources, and draw on evidence from Hamilton: The Revolution to explain why Miranda made certain artistic choices. Support your argument with direct primary source quotations from the musical, Hamilton: The Revolution, and primary sources from Hamilton: A Primary Source Reader. In your conclusion, reflect on the limitations of rendering history as art and consider why it is important to recognize the distinction between historical fiction and historical fact in popular representations of American history.