Okay, so I went through a Hamilton phase, just like everyone else. I memorized every lyric, to every song. In a pre-pandemic world, I saw the show on broadway and was in awe of every part of it. (As much as I loved the Disney plus version, nothing beats the live real deal). I am okay to admit that I still love the show, even if some people think it’s a little bit cheugy now. I thought I knew so much about Hamilton’s life and story, but wow, did I learn a hell of a lot more after reading the book that Lin-Manuel Miranda based his script research on. Although Hamilton’s story was popularized by Lin, most people do not realize that much of his ideas were sparked from this 818-page profile by author Ron Chernow. The book covers the life from start to finish of Alexander Hamilton, discussing Alexander the child, the writer, the immigrant, the husband, the politician, the father, the commander, the lawyer, and the father of finance. So let me tell you a bit more about this author, and subsequently, the founding father he accidentally made world renown
Ron Chernow is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and American historian. He was always intrigued by the founding of the country, and could not find one cohesive manuscript to follow the life of Alexander Hamilton when he was attempting to do research for the impacts of finance on the revolutionary war. He knew Hamilton was highly involved in finance and felt an urge to deep dive into his life, and fulfill Hamilton’s wish of an ever-lasting legacy. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this deep-dive into the life of Alexander Hamilton because it felt honest and refreshing. So many politicians today (and always) lie and cheat, but to see the whole picture of a person on display makes you examine them as a human, rather than an idealized figure.
Of course, as shown in Lin’s portrayal as well, the overarching idea that Chernow presents is that Hamilton’s legacy goes far beyond what was previously thought and that one’s life is not defined by a single moment, but rather every action one takes and the impact of relationships you have will be what matters. Many people may not have been familiar with the life of Alexander Hamilton before this novel, but after reading, what he has accomplished and his downfalls are all on display. Quite frankly, Chernow’s discussion of the triumphs and tribulations of Hamilton paints a picture of a real human being with flaws. He ultimately sways the reader to believe that Hamilton’s life and legacy are positive and that Hamilton should be uplifted in history, despite his flaws. Ironically, he points out how Hamilton’s lifelong goal of attempting to preserve his legacy is what often got him dismissed in the past. He also makes it is evident that Hamilton’s relationships are what ensured that his legacy was preserved, rather than any single action he took. Though Hamilton did not always make good choices, Chernow makes it clear that he does deserve his spot in history, for better and worse.
Chernow opens the book just as Lin opens the Musical. There is an introduction to Hamilton’s life. A boy born in the West Indies to a very poor mother and father. His father abandoned the family and his mother died when he was very young, forcing Hamilton to be very independent from a young age. Eventually, with the help of his community, he is able to use his talents and smarts, to immigrate to the United States and attend King’s College (what is now Columbia University). Here, Alexander meets a lifelong friend and eventually sworn enemy, Aaron Burr. He more deeply discovers his writing skills and is recognized by many. Soon after this, war broke out and Hamilton was ready to go. He did serve his time in the military, but more prominently, became George Washington’s, right-hand man. He meets many people and makes connections with many of the men in his station, such as John Lawrence and Marquis de Lafayette. Before the war, he also meets his wife Elizabeth (Eliza) Schuyler and marries her quickly. Here, it is evident that Hamilton’s legacy goes far beyond what was previously thought and that his legacy is about actions and relationships because he takes the steps to get out of bad situations and make something great of himself. Here is Alexander the immigrant, the husband, the writer, and the military man all coming out in just a small segment of his life. This is Chernow proving that he was so much more than most people think.
After the Revolutionary War is over, Hamilton returns to New York to start a career as a lawyer and also is working as a political figure. He is a federalist and believes in a strong central government, and is eventually chosen to go to the Constitutional Convention. He is one of the strongest advocates for the ratification of the New United States Constitution and shows this through his series of essays entitled the Federalist papers. Throughout these essays, Hamilton made sure it was known that the government must be of and for the citizens and their needs, rather than states having full control. Without The Federalist Papers, which contained 51 essays by Hamilton, the Constitution would not have had the support it so desperately needed from the public. Though Hamilton faced many opposers, he did not let anyone get in the way of his main concern: a stabilized federal government that representatives elected are in charge of. He establishes a big part of his legacy because of the patriotic actions he takes for his country. Throughout all of this, Hamilton and Aaron Burr are at odds. Aaron does not like Hamilton and Hamilton does not like Burr. Hamilton wants Burr to defend the Constitution and the Federalist’s papers, but Burr refuses. This is the breaking point for Burr and Hamilton’s relationship. Chernow later discusses Burr running against Hamilton’s father-in-law for a seat in the senate, and Hamilton feels that this is the ultimate betrayal. They are no longer friends but foes. Chernow wants the reader to understand the lengths that Hamilton was willing to go to serve his country and preserve himself in history, as well as defend his honor.
Hamilton was established as secretary of the Treasury under George Washington, and in this role, he strongly pushed for his own financial plan which consisted of the following three parts. 1. Assume state debts. 2. Creation of the National Bank. 3. Tariffs and Bounties. Many of these ideas he advocated for went through, such as the assumption of debt and the National Bank. Hamilton’s legacy continued to grow in the political and legal worlds, but his start to his downfall is the legacy of his personal life.
Two elements of Hamilton’s personal life come crumbling to the ground. Firstly, he cheats on his wife Eliza and then openly publishes about it when he feels threatened by political adversaries. Here is a huge example of Chernow’s stance on the irony that is Hamilton’s life. Time and time again, he (accidentally) chooses career over family, but the only reason we know anything about him (more than what his political stances were) is because of his family. From the relationships that he sometimes neglected, we are able to understand his life. The second example of Hamilton’s personal downfall is the eventual death of his son, Phillip Schuyler-Hamilton, due to a duel in which he was defending the family name and took his father’s advice for the duel. This caused a lot more pain for the already hurt family unit, because there was blame involved as well. Hamilton at this point stepped back a lot from his career and took steps towards being a better father, husband, and family member.
Eventually, the ongoing personal war between Hamilton and Burr is what causes Hamilton’s demise. They have a duel in New Jersey, Hamilton aims at the sky, Burr aims at Hamilton, and then it’s over. Hamilton dies back in New York with his wife by his side. Chernow points out both the flaws and greatness in Hamilton and how his legacy is more than one moment or relationship. He was a flawed person, and at times too aggressive, but he truly was loyal and cared about himself and his relationships/those around him.
In the novel, Chernow maintains a very non-biased approach to the aspects of Hamilton’s life. While many could simply say that Hamilton’s flaws were too great, Chernow defends him well, while also acknowledging his mistakes and even condemning him for them. I do agree mostly with Chernow’s assessment, as I think it is extremely important to look at a person as a whole, rather than defining them by a single action. I believe that Hamilton did some things very wrong and that he should be condemned for that. It is okay to say that someone did something wrong and to call them out for it, in fact, that’s how we get a more progressive society. However, to completely write over someone because you do not like one action that they took is also inexcusable. People are flawed as Chernow points out, but this does not mean they don’t have accomplishments worth noting and even celebrating.
Chernow tends to give Hamilton more credit, by establishing him as a loyal person. In the novel, he literally says “It is easy to snicker at such deceit and conclude that Hamilton faked all emotion for his wife, but this would belie the otherwise exemplary nature of their marriage. Eliza Hamilton never expressed anything less than a worshipful attitude toward her husband. His love for her, in turn, was deep and constant if highly imperfect. The problem was that no single woman could seem to satisfy all the needs of this complex man with his checkered childhood. As mirrored in his earliest adolescent poems, Hamilton seemed to need two distinct types of love: love of the faithful, domestic kind and love of the more forbidden, exotic variety.” Even when talking about Hamilton’s wrong-doings, Chernow wants to acknowledge that Hamilton was not a bad person and that in the end, he was doing the best he could. This is imperative because Chernow is trying to understand Hamilton better by giving him his credit where he deserves it. Hamilton is so impressive, caring, and did so much work for the country, yet that gets lost at times.
So of course, Hamilton was not the perfect person, we all know that. But the way that Chernow presents the ideas of legacy and that one’s life is not defined by a single moment, but rather every action one takes and the impact of relationships you have will be what matters, is imperative in today’s day and age. Let’s all take this as a big lesson from Chernow, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Alexander Hamilton himself. Also, to the fans of the Musical that haven’t read the book, I beg you, read the book! It’s even more dramatic than what Lin could squeeze into the show. I promise it’s worth it!