The Hamiltonist Papers – From Revolution to Rhythm

Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?

Final line from the musical Hamilton, by Lin-Manuel Miranda

In 2025, the musical Hamilton celebrates 10 years since its premiere. The show opened off-Broadway on February 17, 2015, then on Broadway on August 6, 2015, quickly becoming a success and making its mark on musical theater history.

Lin-Manuel Miranda took Ron Chernow’s extensive biography of Alexander Hamilton and adapted it into a two-and-a-half-hour musical filled with rhythm, rhyme, and rap.

The trajectories of Hamilton and the people around him carry valuable lessons and insights that remain relevant. This is what motivated me to start a project to explore and better understand this work.

Starting next Monday, I will begin a series of essays dedicated to the musical Hamilton. In each article, I will analyze a specific song from the show, discussing both the historical context and the artistic aspects that surround it.

The articles will be divided into two sections:

• History: Here, I will explore the historical events and biographical details that inspired the song, connecting them to the musical’s plot.
• Music: In this section, I will examine the musical composition and lyrics, as well as highlight elements such as choreography, lighting, and other artistic choices in the production.

“The wonderful thing about Lin-Manuel’s use of rap is that he’s got one foot in the past. He knows theater. He respects and understands the value of good rhyming, without which the lines tend to flatten out.”

Stephen Sondheim, in an interview with The New York Times.

I am a huge fan of Hamilton, and this project is my shot at diving deeper into the work to better understand it. Furthermore, I want to help audiences comprehend the musical, which goes far beyond its catchy songs.

Ron Chernow, the author of the biography that inspired the musical, served as a consultant during the writing of the show. In an interview at the end of 2015 (the year the musical debuted), he shared his experience:

“Lin has great gifts of compression and economy. Having gone through this with him will help me as a writer. I treasure the whole year.”

Ron Chernow, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

This project I’m starting will last the entire year, with the final article being published on the last Monday of 2025. I hope that undertaking this journey will also help me as a writer. I will certainly treasure this year.

Here is the publication schedule:

1. Alexander Hamilton – February 17
2. Aaron Burr, Sir – February 24
3. My Shot – March 3
4. The Story of Tonight – March 10
5. The Schuyler Sisters – March 17
6. Farmer Refuted – March 24
7. You’ll Be Back – March 31
8. Right Hand Man – April 7
9. A Winter’s Ball – April 14
10. Helpless – April 21
11. Satisfied – April 28
12. The Story of Tonight (Reprise) – May 5
13. Wait For It – May 12
14. Stay Alive – May 19
15. Ten Duel Commandments – May 26
16. Meet Me Inside – June 2
17. That Would Be Enough – June 9
18. Guns and Ships – June 16
19. History Has Its Eyes on You – June 23
20. Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down) – June 30
21. What Comes Next? – July 7
22. Dear Theodosia – July 14
23. Non-Stop – July 21
24. What’d I Miss – July 28
25. Cabinet Battle #1 – August 4
26. Take a Break – August 11
27. Say No to This – August 18
28. The Room Where It Happens – August 25
29. Schuyler Defeated – September 1
30. Cabinet Battle #2 – September 8
31. Washington On Your Side – September 15
32. One Last Time – September 22
33. I Know Him – September 29
34. The Adams Administration – October 6
35. We Know – October 13
36. Hurricane – October 20
37. The Reynolds Pamphlet – October 27
38. Burn – November 3
39. Blow Us All Away – November 10
40. Stay Alive (Reprise) – November 17
41. It’s Quiet Uptown – November 24
42. The Election of 1800 – December 1
43. Your Obedient Servant – December 8
44. Best of Wives and Best of Women – December 15
45. The World Was Wide Enough – December 22
46. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story – December 29