By: Ian Byers
Hamilton is first and foremost a musical and meant to entertain, but due to the time period which it draws from, its historical accuracy is often brought up. Although the years shortly before and after the Revolutionary War are extremely important in this country’s history, most Americans do not have a thorough understanding of this history. Many modern works, including Hamilton, attempt to use this lack of historical knowledge to push a given narrative which may not hold after further investigation.
One idea which is repeated in the first act of Hamilton is that of immigration, and specifically of Alexander Hamilton as one of America’s first and most influential immigrants. This is of course on account of Hamilton being born on the island of Nevis. However, it should be noted that Nevis, just like the Thirteen Colonies, were colonial possessions of the British Empire. Additionally, both Hamilton and his father were British citizens, his father being the son of a Scottish landowner. Considering this, it seems erroneous to label Hamilton as an immigrant. Certainly, this is not what most people mean when they talk about immigrants today.
Even if one were to uphold Hamilton’s status as an immigrant, to insinuate that he was in any way a champion of immigration, as the musical Hamilton does, would be demonstrably false. Here is a short excerpt from Hamilton’s response to then president Thomas Jefferson on the topic of immigration:
“The influx of foreigners must, therefore, tend to produce a heterogeneous compound; to change and corrupt the national spirit; to complicate and confound public opinion; to introduce foreign propensities. In the composition of society, the harmony of the ingredients is all-important, and whatever tends to a discordant intermixture must have an injurious tendency.”
This was not the only time that Hamilton took the anti-immigration stance. He also supported the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, which made the naturalization of immigrants more difficult.
In conclusion to this analysis, it should be cautioned that no interpretative work of fiction will ever be perfectly accurate in its retelling of history. Despite this, it is also imperative to understand the motives behind any certain writing. While Miranda’s unique and stylistic songwriting has brought him success and fame, it is not beyond reproach. In the first act of Hamilton, there is a clear misrepresentation of the historical figure of Alexander Hamilton. Even though Alexander Hamilton is one of the most famous names in American history, the star character of Miranda’s musical sits firmly in the realm of fiction.
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