HIS 2254 - Hamilton, the Course!

Credits: 4
History is happening! With its tagline, “The Story of America Then, Told by America Now,” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton: The Musical” has brought new attention to the era of the American Revolution. We will examine the musical’s text and lyrics as an entry point to the actual life and era of Alexander Hamilton. We will also examine other musicals, movies, and performances to examine how popular understandings of the meaning of the American Revolution changed over time. How does art intersect with reality and why does this musical have such impact? What can we learn from it about the American Revolution, and where does it go historically astray? What does the musical say and not say about the experience of slaves and women in the Revolutionary era? How do casting and musical decisions reflect debates over what it means to be American in the 21st century?
McDaniel Plan: Multicultural; Textual Analysis