Over the long weekend, I watched Hamilton thanks to Disney. I was grateful for the "bargain price" of 6.99 vs $$$$. The music, the cast, and the historical-fiction-musical-infused perspective of America's story were worth the price!
Lin Manuel Miranda's depiction of Hamilton as progressive and anti-slavery is not historically accurate; yet, the depiction of Hamilton and America's founding fathers as people with economic and political vision combined with a need for power and prestige is part of America's story. The movie has spurred my thinking, reading and questioning!
I knew Hamilton was an architect of our economy and was on $10 bills! I didn't know much else and so, many decades after my last history class, I started reading everything I could find about Hamilton and other founding fathers.
https://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Hamilton-Ron-Chernow/dp/0143034758https://www.ushistory.org/us/18b.asp#:~:text=Hamilton's%20vision%20for%20reshaping%20the,a%20more%20stable%20paper%20currency.
I've been reminded that Hamilton authored many of the Federalist papers that proposed 3 branches of government and he, as well as most if not all of our founding fathers were owners of slaves even while penning documents that "All men are created equal."
I've been reminded about the power of controversy to spur reading, thinking and learning. If only we could inspire our students with books, films and talk so they want to know more about prejudice, racism, sexism, immigration, privilege, climate change, pollution, health care, education, welfare, critical thinking......so they can be a part of the change in the course of our nation's story....
