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Lesson 4

We will discuss our thoughts on Miranda’s interpretation and portrayal of Hamilton and Washington’s relationship. Then, we will listen to and read six songs from the musical, focusing on collecting evidence that will help us explain Miranda’s interpretation of Hamilton and Burr’s relationship and what led to Burr killing Hamilton.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I make connections among details, elements, and effects to explain Miranda’s interpretation of the relationship between Hamilton and Burr and what led to Burr killing Hamilton?

  • Can I find evidence that will help me explain Miranda’s interpretation of the relationship between Hamilton and Burr and what led to Burr killing Hamilton?

Texts

Core

  • Tradebook
    • Hamilton: The Revolution, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter, Grand Central, 2016

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Discuss

We will discuss our progress on our Comparison Organizational Frames.

In small groups, discuss the similarities, differences, and conclusions you drew about the relationship between Hamiton and Washington as seen in the musical and in the primary and secondary sources.

After discussing your Comparison Organizational Frame, discuss the following guiding questions as group:

  1. How did Lin-Manuel Miranda interpret primary and secondary sources to portray Hamilton’s relationship with Washington?

  2. What did Miranda choose to include?

  3. What did he choose to leave out?

  4. Why do you think he made those choices?

After your small group discussion, come together as a class and share your inferences and comparisons.

Activity 2: Read – Write

We will use a guiding question to closely read the song “Wait For It.”

As a class, we will closely read "Wait for It," focusing on the following guiding question:

  1. How does Miranda interpret and portray Hamilton and Burr’s relationship?

Use the Burr-Hamilton Note-Taking Tool to guide your thinking and note-taking.

Activity 3: View

We will rewatch the songs “Non Stop,” “Schuyler Defeated,” “The Election Of 1800,” “Your Obedient Servant,” and “The World Was Wide Enough” from the filmed stage production of Hamilton.

Rewatch the scenes for the songs "Non-Stop," "Schuyler Defeated," "The Election of 1800," "Your Obedient Servant," and "The World Was Wide Enough" from the filmed stage production of Hamilton.

While rewatching, add any additional observations, thoughts, and questions to your Act 1 and Act 2Notice and Wonder Note-Taking Tools.

Activity 4: Read – Write

We will use a guiding question to closely read the songs “Non Stop,” “Schuyler Defeated,” “The Election Of 1800,” “Your Obedient Servant,” and “The World Was Wide Enough.”

With a partner, closely read "Non-Stop," "Schuyler Defeated," "The Election of 1800," "Your Obedient Servant," and "The World Was Wide Enough," focusing on the following guiding question:

  1. How does Hamilton interpret and portray Hamilton and Burr’s relationship?

Use the Burr-Hamilton Note-Taking Tool to guide your thinking and note-taking.

Discuss with your partner if there are other songs in the musical that will help you answer the guiding question. If so, add any evidence you find in the Evidence from the Text column.

After closely reading the songs and adding evidence, think about how the details are connected, and express your understanding in the form of an observation or claim in the final column.

Share your ideas and thoughts in a class discussion.