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Lesson 7

We will continue to explore the question, “Who is Alexander Hamilton?” We will listen to seven songs from Act 2 of Hamilton: An American Musical. We will track our thinking about the characters, as well as where we are confused or need additional background knowledge. We will also analyze a choice Hamilton makes.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I summarize what is happening in the first part of Act 2 of Hamilton: An American Musical?

  • Can I identify different characters and how they relate to the plot?

  • Can I use connections among details, elements, and effects to make logical deductions about a character?

Texts

Core

  • Tradebook
    • Hamilton: The Revolution, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter, Grand Central, 2016
  • Multimedia
    • Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording), Lin-Manuel Miranda, Atlantic, October 16, 2015

Optional

  • Digital Access
    • “Lin-Manuel Miranda and Christopher Jackson Perform ‘One Last Time’ at the Kennedy Center Honors 2018,” Lin-Manuel Miranda, YouTube, November 25, 2019
  • Multimedia
    • Hamilton, Thomas Kail, Walt Disney Studios, 2020

Materials

Tools

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Listen – Read

We will read the lyrics and listen to the songs “Cabinet Battle #2,” “Washington On Your Side,” “One Last Time,” and “The Adams Administration.”

Listen to and read the lyrics of the songs "Cabinet Battle #2," "Washington on Your Side," "One Last Time," and "The Adams Administration."

Add responses to your Act 2 Notice and Wonder Note-Taking Tool to track your observations, thoughts in the correct section. As you do this, think about the following questions:

  1. What major plot events happen in these songs?

  2. What new information have you gained about Alexander Hamilton?

With a partner, share your observations, thoughts, and questions.

Activity 2: Listen – Read

We will read the lyrics and listen to the songs “We Know,” “Hurricane,” and “The Reynolds Pamphlet.”

Listen to and read the lyrics of the songs "We Know," "Hurricane," and "The Reynolds Pamphlet."

Add responses to your Act 2 Notice and Wonder Note-Taking Tool to track your observations, thoughts in the correct section. As you do this, think about the following questions:

  1. What major plot events happen in these songs?

  2. What new information have you gained about Alexander Hamilton?

With a partner, share your observations, thoughts, and questions.

Activity 3: Read – View

We will view and discuss the songs “Cabinet Battle #2,” “Washington On Your Side,” “One Last Time,” “The Adams Administration,” “We Know,” “Hurricane,” and “The Reynolds Pamphlet” from the filmed stage production of Hamilton.

View the songs "Cabinet Battle #2," "Washington on Your Side," "One Last Time," "The Adams Administration," "We Know," "Hurricane," and "The Reynolds Pamphlet" from the filmed stage production of Hamilton. Refer to the lyrics in Hamilton: The Revolution book as needed.

While watching, add responses to your Act 2Notice and Wonder Note-Taking Tool in the appropriate sections to track your observations, thoughts, and questions for each song and its scene. Think about the following questions:

  1. What new characters are you introduced to in these songs?

  2. How does Miranda use the format of a modern-day rap battle to highlight the debate in these songs?

  3. What new information have you gained about Alexander Hamilton?

  4. What else do you learn about the characters from their movement, facial expressions, gestures, and interactions with other characters in these scenes?

  5. How does the staging of these scenes impact your understanding of the events and characters in the musical?

In a whole-class discussion, share your observations first, your thoughts second, and your questions last.

Activity 4: Discuss – Write

We will write an objective summary about what has happened in Act 2 of Hamilton: An American Musical so far.

Step 1

Write an objective summary about what events have occurred from "Cabinet Battle #2" to "The Reynolds Pamphlet." Use evidence from the text to support your response.

Step 2

Trade summaries with your partner. Read your partner’s summary, and make notes in the margin that address the following questions:

  1. Does the summary accurately identify the central idea of Act 2 and provide details that develop the central idea?

  2. Does the summary present the details objectively, or does the summary include personal feelings and opinions?

  3. Does the summary contain relevant evidence from the text?

Give your partner one piece of advice to address one of the questions above.

Activity 5: Write

We will analyze why Hamilton would choose to write the “Reynolds Pamphlet.”

Step 1

Use the Character Note-Taking Tool to analyze Hamilton’s character in the following songs: "We Know," "Hurricane," and "The Reynolds Pamphlet."

The Character Note-Taking Tool helps you keep track of and analyze a character’s presentation, development, and change throughout a narrative, as well as the ways in which the author chooses to present the character. The tool prompts you to note and write down key details about the character, with page citations so you can return later and find them again. You then make notes by analyzing what the detail indicates about the character and how it is presented within the narrative.

You can use a separate tool for each important character or important historical figure in a narrative and then keep a running record of notes whenever that character appears and you learn something about them.

Step 2

While finding evidence of things Hamilton does, says, or thinks and things others say about him, think about the following question:

  1. Why would Hamilton choose to write the Reynolds Pamphlet?