By: Karl Risley
I chose to historically annotate a letter Hamilton wrote to Burr on June 20th, 1804. It is the first letter written by Hamilton to Burr concerning the issue that led to their duel, a response to Burr’s initial letter sent on June 18th, 1804. The letter is the second letter found on this page (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Hamilton%E2%80%93Burr_duel_correspondences). It was delivered to Burr through Hamilton’s second, Pendleton. I was drawn to the document because when I first looked at it I didn’t understand the contents at all. It was so confusing that I moved on to find another source. After nothing caught my eye, I returned to this letter out of curiosity. I started getting background on the characters involved. Thirty minutes later I realized I began understanding the letter, and ultimately that I was doing exactly what this project entailed, researching to unveil meaning. I was attracted to this letter for its research potential, and also because the subject concerns Hamilton’s and Burr’s duel, an extremely important moment, one the musical builds too throughout its songs.
This letter requires multiple “types” of research to be done properly. The historical context of different words shed light on the tone and intent of the diction chosen by Hamilton. For example I found that the meaning of the word gentlemen was not simply a polite term like it is used today, it held more prestige. The common format, salutations, and greetings of the time period also reveal the tone of Hamilton’s words. Is he writing to a close friend, an enemy, colleague? All of this can be revealed by how he adheres to the standard format of letters of his time. Basic research of characters is also necessary for understanding. Researching more background on Burr and Hamilton, and gaining information on others involved all lead to a more coherent analysis. Understanding Hamilton more allows me to understand his words better, through knowing his writing style, word choices, and background. Simple definitions of uncommon words is also helpful. I approached this research first by identifying different aspects of the letter I deemed worthy of research, such as learning the 19th century meaning of “gentlemen”. I also used the sources listed at the bottom of the wikipedia pages that surfaced through my searches to find more reputable sources.
I have found that the more research I do, the more research and information it leads too. It is similar to an iceberg, revealing more and more ice as you get deeper.
A very helpful book I have found that might benefit a lot of people, as it focuses on Hamilton, is found here: https://books.google.com/books?id=A1U4AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA231&lpg=PA231&dq=The+World%27s+History+and+Its+Makers:+American+statesman&source=bl&ots=_QwXwZiy01&sig=Z_w0n13MKwTjoBAX12zjbfzHlO0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiH2vXri7vbAhUJXa0KHWbHCMYQ6AEIODAD#v=onepage&q=The%20World’s%20History%20and%20Its%20Makers%3A%20American%20statesman&f=false.
I have gotten lost in research several times because it is very easy to go off on tangents. If I had a recommendation for the class it would be to identify specific goals of each search you perform for your research. Stick to these goals. Unless you think a tangent is actually relevant you may be wasting your time.