Top 10 Things Hamilton Got Factually Right and Wrong

Summary

The video script from WatchMojo explores the historical accuracy of the musical 'Hamilton,' highlighting the top 10 factual and fictional elements. It delves into Hamilton's alleged womanizing, his contentious relationship with John Adams, and the dueling incident with George Eaker that led to the death of Hamilton's son. The script also addresses the rivalry between Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, Eliza's efforts to preserve her husband's legacy, and the inaccuracies regarding Burr's constant presence in Hamilton's life and Angelica's supposed infatuation with him. It concludes with the climactic duel and the enduring debate over whether Hamilton intentionally missed his shot.

Takeaways

• 😀 Hamilton was not known as a notorious womanizer despite the musical's portrayal; the story of Martha Washington naming her tomcat after him is more fiction than fact.
• 😡 Hamilton was not fired by John Adams; he resigned from his position as Secretary of the Treasury before Adams became president.
• 😢 The musical's depiction of Philip Hamilton's duel is inaccurate; in reality, he threw away his shot, and his opponent didn't immediately fire back.
• 🤔 The rivalry between Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson was more about politics than personal animosity, differing from the musical's portrayal.
• 📚 Eliza Hamilton did work to preserve her husband's legacy, living another 50 years after his death and collecting his writings.
• 🔪 Aaron Burr's rivalry with Hamilton was not as constant or built up as the musical suggests; their interactions were exaggerated for dramatic effect.
• 💔 Hamilton's affair with Maria Reynolds and the subsequent scandal were real, but his downfall was more due to his criticisms towards John Adams.
• ❤️ The musical's depiction of Angelica Schuyler Church's infatuation with Hamilton is fictional; they shared a close bond but not a romantic one.
• 🤝 Hamilton was against slavery and helped end the international slave trade, although he sometimes found himself caught in the middle of a racist system.
• 🎭 The musical 'Hamilton' takes creative liberties with historical events for dramatic effect, such as the timing and details of the climactic duel.
• 🏆 The top takeaway is that Hamilton's decision to 'throw away his shot' in the duel with Burr is widely believed to be true, despite some inaccuracies in the musical's depiction.

Q & A

What is the claim made about Alexander Hamilton's reputation in the song 'A Winter's Ball'?

In the song 'A Winter's Ball', Aaron Burr paints Alexander Hamilton as a notorious womanizer, and it is humorously suggested that Martha Washington named her feral tomcat after him. However, this is more fiction than fact, with little evidence to support that Hamilton was a regular philanderer.

Did John Adams really fire Alexander Hamilton from his position as Secretary of the Treasury?

No, John Adams did not fire Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton actually resigned from his position as Secretary of the Treasury on December 1, 1794, two years before Adams was elected president in 1796.

What historical event is depicted in the musical as the reason for Philip Hamilton's duel with George Eaker?

The musical implies that Philip Hamilton's duel with George Eaker occurred before Adams lost the presidency. In reality, the duel took place one year later, and Philip intentionally threw away his shot after counting 10 paces, which differs from the musical's depiction.

How accurate is the portrayal of Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson's rivalry in the musical?

While Hamilton and Jefferson were indeed political rivals, with Hamilton being a Federalist and Jefferson a Democratic-Republican, the musical may exaggerate the extent of their personal animosity and the number of direct confrontations they had.

What was the real reason behind Hamilton's endorsement of Jefferson during the 1800 presidential election?

Hamilton endorsed Jefferson during the 1800 presidential election because he believed Aaron Burr was the more dangerous candidate, not because of their shared views or a close relationship.

How did Eliza Hamilton contribute to preserving her husband's legacy after his death?

After Alexander Hamilton's death, Eliza lived another 50 years, during which she interviewed soldiers who fought alongside her husband and collected his writings. She also raised money for the construction of the Washington Monument and co-founded New York's first private orphanage.

What is the historical inaccuracy regarding Aaron Burr's role in Hamilton's life as portrayed in the musical?

The musical suggests a more intense rivalry and numerous encounters between Burr and Hamilton than what history records. For example, the musical invents instances where they crossed paths that did not actually happen.

What is the historical context of the Reynolds Pamphlet mentioned in the script?

The Reynolds Pamphlet was a confession written by Hamilton admitting to an affair with Maria Reynolds, which became a significant political scandal. It was published to counter blackmail threats and protect his legacy.

Is there any historical evidence to support the claim that Angelica Schuyler Church was infatuated with Alexander Hamilton?

No, there is no historical evidence to confirm that Angelica Schuyler Church harbored a secret love for Alexander Hamilton. Their relationship was close but not romantic, and Angelica was already married when she met Hamilton.

How did Hamilton's stance on slavery differ from other founding fathers?

Hamilton was one of the few founding fathers who did not directly own slaves. He was known for being an abolitionist and helped end the international slave trade, although he sometimes found himself navigating the complexities of a racist system.

What are some of the creative liberties taken by the musical 'Hamilton' regarding the climactic duel between Hamilton and Burr?

The musical takes creative liberties with the timing and context of the duel, as it did not occur immediately after Burr lost his shot at the presidency. Additionally, the musical does not emphasize that Burr became Jefferson's vice president and later ran for governor of New York.

What is the historical consensus on whether Hamilton intentionally missed Burr during their duel?

It is widely believed that Hamilton intentionally missed Burr during their duel, possibly due to a pledge not to shoot. Hamilton is said to have hit a tree branch over his head, while Burr, unaware of Hamilton's pledge, fired back and fatally wounded him.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 Hamilton's Musical Accuracy: Fact vs. Fiction

This paragraph explores the historical accuracy of the Broadway musical 'Hamilton,' focusing on ten specific points. It corrects misconceptions such as Martha Washington naming her tomcat after Hamilton, a myth that originated from a satirical letter published long after Hamilton's death. It also addresses the inaccuracies in the portrayal of Hamilton's relationship with John Adams, including the claim that Adams fired Hamilton from his position as Secretary of the Treasury, which was not possible as Hamilton had resigned two years prior to Adams' election. Additionally, it clarifies that Philip Hamilton's duel with George Eaker occurred a year after the events portrayed in the musical, and that Hamilton's rivalry with Thomas Jefferson was more about political ideologies than personal animosity.

05:01

🏆 Eliza Hamilton's Legacy and Burr's Role

This section delves into the posthumous efforts of Eliza Hamilton to preserve her husband's legacy, living another 50 years after his death, interviewing soldiers, and collecting his writings. It also discusses the inaccuracies in the portrayal of Aaron Burr's relationship with Alexander Hamilton, emphasizing that while they were political rivals, the musical exaggerated their personal encounters. The paragraph also touches on Hamilton's affair with Maria Reynolds and the resulting political scandal, which tarnished his reputation but did not lead to his downfall, contrary to what some might believe.

10:02

💔 The Myth of Angelica's Infatuation and Hamilton's Stance on Slavery

The paragraph addresses the fictionalized account of Angelica Schuyler Church's supposed romantic feelings for Hamilton, clarifying that there is no historical evidence to support this claim. It also discusses Hamilton's complex relationship with slavery, noting that while he never owned slaves and was an abolitionist in principle, he was sometimes complicit in the system due to the legal and social context of his time. The paragraph corrects the notion that there were only eight Schuyler siblings and that Eliza destroyed her letters, which is not confirmed by historical records.

15:03

🎯 Hamilton's Duel with Burr: The Truth Behind the Shot

This final paragraph focuses on the climactic duel between Hamilton and Burr, correcting the timeline and circumstances surrounding the event as portrayed in the musical. It suggests that Hamilton intentionally missed Burr, possibly due to a pledge not to shoot, and was instead hit by Burr in his lower abdomen, leading to his death. The paragraph also mentions other historical inaccuracies in the musical, such as Hamilton's birth circumstances, his immigration status, and the number of Schuyler siblings, before inviting viewers to subscribe for more content.

Keywords

💡Historical Accuracy

Historical accuracy refers to the truthfulness or fidelity to actual historical events, people, or contexts in a creative work. In the video, it is the central theme as it evaluates how accurately the musical 'Hamilton' depicts real-life events and figures. For example, the script discusses the truthfulness of Hamilton's portrayal as a womanizer and the nature of his rivalry with Thomas Jefferson.

💡Martha Washington's Tomcat

Martha Washington's Tomcat is a humorous anecdote mentioned in the script that supposedly links Hamilton to philandering, although it is more a piece of fiction than a fact. The video explains that while Hamilton did commit adultery, the story of Martha Washington naming her tomcat after him is likely a satirical development from a positive joke, illustrating the blending of myth and reality in popular history.

💡Rivalry

Rivalry in the script refers to the competitive or antagonistic relationships between historical figures, particularly Hamilton and other key players like Aaron Burr, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams. The video explores the nature of these rivalries, their impact on political decisions, and their dramatic portrayal in the musical, such as Hamilton's contentious relationship with Adams leading to his supposed dismissal from office.

💡Duel

A duel in the 18th and 19th centuries was a formal, pre-arranged combat between two individuals, often to defend honor. In the script, duels are significant events, particularly Hamilton's fatal duel with Aaron Burr, which is a climactic point in the musical. The video also mentions Philip Hamilton's duel, showing how the concept of honor and the practice of dueling were intertwined with the lives of the characters.

💡Eliza Hamilton

Eliza Hamilton, Alexander's wife, is portrayed in the script as a devoted partner who worked to preserve his legacy after his death. Her efforts to collect his writings and interview soldiers who fought alongside him are highlighted in the video, demonstrating her role in shaping the historical narrative of her husband's life and contributions.

💡Aaron Burr

Aaron Burr is depicted as Hamilton's arch-rival in the musical, with the script highlighting their contrasting personalities and the eventual duel that led to Hamilton's death. The video points out that while Burr and Hamilton did have differences, the extent of their rivalry may be exaggerated in the musical for dramatic effect.

💡Affair

The term 'affair' in the script refers to Hamilton's extramarital relationship with Maria Reynolds, which became a significant political scandal. The video explains how this affair was used against Hamilton and ultimately affected his reputation, illustrating the personal and political consequences of such scandals in the public eye.

💡Angelica Schuyler

Angelica Schuyler is portrayed in the musical as having a deep emotional connection with Hamilton, possibly romantic. However, the script clarifies that there is no historical evidence to support a romantic relationship between them, and their bond was more likely platonic, showcasing the creative liberties taken in the musical for dramatic storytelling.

💡Slavery

The script discusses Hamilton's stance on slavery, noting that he did not own slaves and was known to advocate for the abolition of slavery. The video highlights the complexities of Hamilton's position within a society that practiced slavery, and how his actions, such as helping to end the international slave trade, reflect his opposition to the institution.

💡Creative License

Creative license refers to the freedom taken by artists to alter or invent details for the sake of storytelling. The script points out several instances where the musical 'Hamilton' takes creative license, such as the timing and circumstances of the climactic duel, to enhance the narrative and make it more engaging for the audience.

💡Hamilton's Legacy

Hamilton's legacy is a recurring concept in the script, referring to the impact and influence of Alexander Hamilton's life and work on American history. The video emphasizes how figures like Eliza Hamilton and the musical itself contribute to preserving and interpreting his story, highlighting the ongoing efforts to understand and retell history.

Highlights

Martha Washington naming her tomcat after Hamilton is a mix of fiction and fact, stemming from a satirical letter published long after Hamilton's death.

Hamilton was not fired by John Adams; he resigned from his position as Secretary of the Treasury before Adams became president.

Philip Hamilton's fatal duel with George Eaker happened a year after Adams lost the presidency, contrary to the musical's timeline.

Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson had political differences but Hamilton endorsed Jefferson in the 1800 presidential election.

Eliza Hamilton's efforts to preserve her husband's legacy included interviewing soldiers and collecting his writings.

Aaron Burr's rivalry with Hamilton was not as extensive as portrayed, with several encounters in the musical being fictional.

Hamilton's affair with Maria Reynolds led to the first major political sex scandal in America, damaging his reputation.

Angelica Schuyler Church's supposed infatuation with Hamilton is not supported by historical evidence; they shared a close but non-romantic bond.

Hamilton was not a slave owner and was known for his abolitionist views, despite being part of a racist system.

Hamilton's illegitimate birth and immigrant status are accurately portrayed in the musical.

The number of Schuyler siblings was inaccurately portrayed; there were more than the musical suggests.

Eliza Hamilton's destruction of letters is mentioned, but the reasons behind it remain unclear.

Hamilton's meeting with Laurens and Mulligan was not simultaneous, occurring at different times as historical figures.

Hamilton's climactic duel with Burr is dramatized, with inaccuracies in timing and Burr's political career.

It is widely believed that Hamilton intentionally missed Burr in their duel, possibly due to a pledge not to shoot.

Hamilton's death in the duel is a significant and accurate historical event, marking a tragic end to his life.

Transcripts

creative liberty and justice for all

welcome to watch mojo and today we're

counting down our picks for the top 10

things hamilton got factually right and

wrong

for this list we're looking at the

historical accuracy of the musical

hamilton

going over which plot lines were true

and which were false

number ten martha washington named her

tomcat after hamilton

wrong now hamilton's skill with a quill

is undeniable but what do we have in

common

during the a winter's ball number aaron

burr paints alexander hamilton as a

notorious womanizer claiming that martha

washington named her feral tomcat after

him martha washington named her feral

tomcat

after him that's true breaking the

fourth wall hamilton says this is true

although it's more fiction than fact

while hamilton did commit adultery at

least once

little evidence suggests he regularly

slept around when manuel miranda

attributes the tomcat story to a rumor

john adams spread but historians michael

newton and steven knott believe it

stemmed from a satirical letter

published again

56 years after hamilton died apparently

there was a joke about washington naming

her cat after hamilton in a positive way

which developed into the tomcat story

over time there wasn't even a

correlation between the term tomcat and

philandering during the 18th century

or which one hey

number nine hamilton was fired by john

adams

wrong how does hamilton the short

tempered protein creator of the coast

guard founder of the movie

ardently abuse his cabinet post destroy

his reputation

[Music]

[Applause]

while they were both members of the

federalist party hamilton and john adams

didn't always see eye to eye

in the musical this rivalry reaches its

boiling point when adams becomes the

second president of the united states

john adams

i know him that can't be

he subsequently fires hamilton from his

position as secretary

of the treasury but adams literally

could not have done this in real life

hamilton privately calls him pre-order

hamilton publishes his response

shut down john you fat mother

hamilton actually resigned from office

on december 1 1794

although he did maintain close ties with

george washington and other political

figures

adams wouldn't be elected until 1796 two

years after hamilton tendered his

resignation

as the adams administration song shows

us however hamilton did strongly oppose

adam's re-election

this ultimately contributed to adam's

loss against thomas jefferson

making him a one-term president if you

were to ask me who i promote

jefferson has my vote

number eight phillip hamilton's fatal

duel right

i'm looking for him mr george eaker made

a speech last week our fourth of july

speaker

he disparaged my father's legacy in

front of a crowd i can't have that i'm

making my father proud

hamilton's eldest son states during take

a break that he'd rather have a brother

than a sister

practice friendship play piano with my

mother i have a sister but i want a

little brother

by age nine though philip had two little

brothers alexander hamilton jr

and james alexander hamilton the musical

also implies that philip entered a duel

with george eaker before adams lost the

presidency

but it was really one year later that

said philip and eaker did engage in a

duel

at his father's suggestion philip threw

away his shot after counting 10 paces

eeker in return didn't immediately fire

which differs from the musical where he

blows philip away without thinking twice

[Music]

nevertheless the two eventually raised

their pistols and eager fired

resulting in philip's death at age 19.

and ironically his father later met the

same tragic fate

number 7. hamilton's rivalry with thomas

jefferson

right the musical sees hamilton and

thomas jefferson butt heads over

numerous issues from economic programs

to the war of the first coalition

ow but hamilton forgets his plan would

have the government assume states deaths

now place your bets as to who that

benefits the very seat of government

where hamilton sits

not true indeed these two founding

fathers had their fair share of cabinet

battles while serving under washington

one being a federalist and the other

being a democratic republican

politics aside their personalities

couldn't have been more different

we signed a treaty with a king whose

head is now in a basket would you like

to take it out and ask it

or should we honor our treaty king

louie's head oh do whatever you want i'm

super dead whereas hamilton wasn't

afraid to say exactly what was on his

mind

jefferson's reserved demeanor helped him

ascend to the top of the political

ladder while hamilton's hot-headedness

didn't always work to his career's

a walk hamilton take a walk despite

their differences hamilton did endorse

jefferson during the 1800 presidential

election believing that aaron burr was

the more dangerous candidate

[Music]

jefferson has beliefs burr has none

number six eliza kept her husband's

story alive

right just as alexander hamilton was

something of an unsung american hero

the same can be said about his wife

[Music]

as the musical reaches its tear-jerking

finale elizabeth schuyler hamilton vows

to preserve alexander's legacy and put

herself back in the narrative

[Music]

who lives who dies who tells your story

remains faithful to eliza's life after

alexander's death

she did live another 50 years

interviewing soldiers who fought

alongside her husband

and collecting the various writings he

left behind

every soldier who fought by your side

i tried to make sense of your thousands

of pages of writings

you really do right like you're running

out of time

elizabeth also rose up as a significant

figure in her own right

raising money to construct the

washington monument and co-founding new

york's first private orphanage

elizabeth's story might not be the most

well-known but it's definitely one worth

[Music]

telling

number five burr was a constant figure

throughout hamilton's life

wrong and me i'm the damn fool

that shot

being the one responsible for hamilton's

death aaron burr is built up as his arch

rival from the opening number

while the two did have contrasting

personalities and views

the rivalry between burr and hamilton

didn't have as much build up as one

would assume

you wanna get ahead yes

fools who run their mouths off wind

up dead the musical makes up several

instances where the two crossed paths

during non-stop hamilton asks spur to

assist with the federalist papers

which never actually happened my client

needs a strong defense you're the

solution

who's your client the new u.s

constitution

no hear me out no way it's also implied

that burr aided charles lee during the

10 duel commandments

alexander aaron burr sir can we agree

the duels are dumb and immature

sure but your man has to answer for his

words bro

in reality burr wasn't lee second but he

did serve in the battle of monmouth

firm may have been the damn fool that

shot him but some historians would argue

that hamilton had a more heated rivalry

with jefferson

you must be out of your goddamn mind

number four

hamilton's affair right yes i have

reasons for shame but i have not

committed

treason and sullied my good name as you

can see i have done nothing to provoke

illegal action

are my answers to your satisfaction just

like in the song say no to this

mariah reynolds supposedly came to

hamilton's house claiming that her

husband james had left her

one thing led to another and hamilton

entered an affair with mariah

james knew of his wife's adultery

leaving hamilton vulnerable to blackmail

five to six years after the affair ended

hamilton found himself backed into a

corner and decided to pen a lengthy

confession

in the reynolds pamphlet this is the eye

of the hurricane this

is the only way i can protect my legacy

the reynolds pamphlet while elizabeth

would come to forgive her husband's

infidelity hamilton became forever tied

to what was arguably america's first

political sex scandal

charge against me is a connection with

one james reynolds

for purposes of improper speculation my

real crime is an amorous connection with

his wife

for a considerable time with his knowing

consent

researchers would argue that hamilton's

criticisms towards john adams were the

main reason for his downfall but the

affair and pamphlet

certainly didn't help his reputation

number three

angelica's infatuation with hamilton

wrong

it might be a highlight of hamilton but

there's no evidence confirming that

angelica schuyler church harbored a

secret love for her brother-in-law

based on what they exchanged it can be

deduced that hamilton and angelica

shared a close bond but not

a romantic one no matter i received from

you two weeks ago i

noticed a comma in the middle of a

phrase

it changed the meaning did you intend

this

one stroke and you've consumed my

working days it says my dearest

angelica in the musical angelica says

that she can't marry hamilton because

her father has no sons

therefore she must put social status

before love i'm a girl in a world in

which my only

has no job so i'm the one who has the

social glide for one cause i'm the

oldest and the wittiest

in the gospels in new york city although

angelica did marry wealthy

she actually had two adult brothers i

forgot and i think my brain wanted me to

forget because

um it's it's stronger dramatically

if society at least you can't marry him

most notably

angelica had already eloped with john

barker church in

[Music]

in comfort 1777 all my days he is not a

lot of fun

but there's no one who can match you for

turning

phrase my alexander

angelica she wouldn't even meet hamilton

until he tied the knot with elizabeth

three years later

miranda has acknowledged this inaccuracy

but we have to admit that his version is

more dramatically satisfying

number two hamilton was against slavery

right

a bunch of revolutionary manual mission

abolitionists give me a position show me

where the ammunition is

according to research hamilton stands

out as one of the only founding fathers

who didn't directly

own slaves you don't have to separate

these things with jefferson he can

have written this incredible document

and several incredible documents that we

all

sort of with with things that we all

believe in and he

sucks his mother had two slaves when she

passed away but hamilton didn't inherit

them since he was born out of wedlock

even if he did have some legal claim

hamilton was known for being an

abolitionist

in defense of black rights hamilton once

wrote quote

their natural faculties are as good as

ours while hamilton was against slavery

he occasionally found himself

caught in the middle of a racist system

a civics lesson from a slaver hey

neighbor

your debts are paid because you don't

pay for labor we plan seeds in the south

we create you keep

ranting we know who's really doing the

planting practicing law he helped

exchange slaves for his clients as a

member of the new york manumission

society though

hamilton ultimately helped end the

international slave trade

maybe he would have done even more if

his story hadn't been cut short

[Music]

before we unveil our top pick here are

some honorable mentions

hamilton's illegitimate birth right the

founding father was abandoned by his own

father

[Applause]

how does a bastard orphan son

of a [ __ ] and a scotsman dropped in the

middle of a forgotten spot in the

caribbean by providence impoverished in

squalor

grow up to be a hero and a scholar

hamilton was an immigrant

right he was born in the west indies and

immigrated to the u.s

finally on the field we've had quite a

run immigrants

we get the job done the number of

schuyler siblings

wrong there were 15 schuyler siblings

eliza destroyed her letters right

although

it's unclear if this was because of the

[Music]

affair

hamilton met lauren's lafayette and

mulligan simultaneously

wrong they met at different times check

what we got

mr lafayette hard rock like lancelot i

think your pants look hot lauren's i

like you a lot let's hatch a plot

blacker than the kettle call in the pot

what are the odds the gods will put us

all in one spot

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number one hamilton gave up his shot

right

i am not throwing away my shot i am not

throwing away my

shot hey yo i'm just like my country i'm

young scrappy and hungry and i'm not

throwing away

my shot the musical does take some

creative license with the climactic duel

as it didn't occur immediately after

burr lost his shot at the presidency

what's more hamilton also neglects to

emphasize that burr became jefferson's

vice president

when jefferson ditched him during his

1804 re-election

burr ran for governor of new york and

lost to morgan lewis

once again hamilton called burr's

ability to govern into question

so burr challenged him to the historic

duel i can't apologize because it's true

then stand alexander

weehawken dawn guns

drawn you're wrong even if some

background information is off

it is widely believed that hamilton

threw away his shot they won't teach you

this in your classes but look it up

hamilton was wearing his glasses why

if not to take daddy firing first

hamilton

intentionally missed burr and instead

hit a tree branch over his head

unaware that hamilton had taken a pledge

not to shoot him burr fired back at his

lower abdomen

ending his life world was wide enough

for both hamilton

[Music]

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