"Hamilton" was created by Lin Manuel Miranda as a musical theatre tribute to one of our founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton. Through the life of Alexander Hamilton, Lin Manuel used his story to explore topics of the past, and oppression in our current world. Once you start listening, you will never be able to stop! Here are 20 lessons I learned from listening to "Hamilton" for 20 days in a row.
1. Community
In "Hamilton," there is a theme of constant community, from getting sent to New York to go to college, to having his friends beside him in war, and even in his legacy, you see community and the impact it had on Alexander Hamilton, and the impact it has in our society! Community helps elevate your status, but can also cause your demise.
2. Confidence
One thing we notice in Alexander throughout the play is the confidence he not only has in himself, but also his confidence that he has in the people who surround him! We can all benefit in some confidence in ourselves and others.
3. Potential can be deadly
Potential is just what is defined as the possibility of being something great. Remember that potential needs a catalyst! Just as Phillip has, or had #SPOILER
4. People will fail you
Sometimes people will not be who you think they are. Maybe it would of been beneficial for Alexander to learn that sometimes people will do the unthinkable, and even betray themselves in the process.
5. Knowledge is Power
There are many things that can be lost in life, like money, virtue, trust, even family, but one thing that couldn't be taken away from Alexander was his knowledge, and his intellect.
6. You can change the world
One poor orphaned boy was able to start the first National Bank of the United States of America, if he can do something big, so can we!
7. Hard work gets you places
Hard work partnered with drive makes a combination that is explosive.
8. Stay hungry
"Young, Scrappy, and Hungry" is another theme throughout the whole play. What is refers to is that America started as a place that was obviously young, innovative without many resources, and hungry to win the war. Being hungry means that you are willing to do anything to get where you need to be, which is how we succeed in life.
9. It’s okay to have an opinion
In "Hamilton" there is a character whose name is Aaron Burr, and he tries to advance politically and socially by never sharing his opinion with others. All it does for him is create bitterness and strife. When you hold in what you believe in it causes you to explode, or implode. Learn a lesson from Burr's mistakes, have your own opinion.
10. Give time to loved ones
One thing we see Alexander ignore in his life is his family. Instead of making memories with his kids, and wife, he chooses to work harder to try to make a better life, instead of living his life. We all need to try to make time for family, no matter how hard we work.
11. Writing is a Super Power
Alexander Hamilton is known for writing 51 of the Federalist papers in a span of only 6 months. Imagine having over 50 papers due in 6 months of school. Imagine not even having to do all of them either and still doing them?! Just let that sink in for a moment and realize that a love for writing is truly a superpower that will always benefit you.
12. Tell your story
Telling your story not only helps you get comfortable with yourself, but it also helps the other people you tell it to. Hamilton used his story to not only empower people, but to also empower himself. His wife ended up spreading his legacy for years after he died because he told her his story and she was so impacted by it she made it her life's mission to spread it.
13. True leaders sacrifice to lead
Sacrificing his family, time, money, wife, and life to help America succeed is why we remember Alexander Hamilton as a leader. Sometimes leadership means sacrifice.
14. True leaders are asked to lead
Alexander was also asked to be the first National Treasury secretary by George Washington. Leadership is not something you acquire by asking for it, it is something you have to work and sacrifice for to get it.
15. Strength
In order to help win independence, you obviously need strength. All throughout the play, we see strength in Eliza, and Hamilton himself.
16. Not taking opportunities for granted
One thing Hamilton never takes for granted is opportunities. He sees the world as something that he was created to serve, and entertain. We should take a page out of his book, and seize every opportunity we see.
17. Your shot is something powerful
Never throw out your shot to change the world. You might have horrible things happen to you, but that should push you forward, not push you back.
18. Oppression is outdated
Throughout "Hamilton" the theme of oppression of the African American community is brought up multiple times. If oppression was even around back then you would think we would have grown out of it as a nation, but it has just taken on new forms. We should just leave oppression in the past, not forgetting what happened and use it to push forward.
19. Do not go low to get high
Many times in "Hamilton" we see the common theme of people trying to get higher on the political ladder by doing shady things. It never works out for anyone. Do not try a short cut for success, you need to work for it.
20. Wording matters
Hamilton was known for his writing and he used different forms of wording to make his writing more tailored to certain audiences. Remember, the way you word things matters.
