Hamilton. A last name that has been around for more than 200 years but has been pushed into the spotlight within the past year. Why you may ask? Because Lin-Manuel Miranda pulled out his sick beats and fire lyrics and wrote a musical about Alexander Hamilton. Let’s be honest, a lot of people know who Alexander Hamilton was, but they might not necessarily know what Alexander Hamilton did (or what didn’t he do). "Hamilton" is a history lesson that reaches the modern generation. However, Alexander Hamilton was more than just a character in a musical.
You can research and read thousands of books about Alexander Hamilton, however, here are just a few of the things that define him. To begin with, he was one of our Founding Fathers who came to the United States at the age of 15. He was an influential figure in regards to our political system. Not only was he one of the writers of the Federalist Papers and helped establish and lead the Federalist party, but he was a member of the Continental Congress, he was the first secretary of Treasury of the United States, he served as an assistant to our first President, he helped establish the first national bank, he requested the foundation of the United States Coast Guard, and helped ratify the U.S. Constitution. So let’s be honest, we shouldn’t be shocked that our history books mention him.
There’s a lot of things we can learn from our Founding Father. First, his Federalist view. A lot of people research the term "Federalist," and believe that is so 1700, however, the Federalist Party and view is still relevant today. Federalists believe in a strong and powerful government and their audience is the masses. This is relevant to us today to some extent. Our government today is in a different situation than it was during Alexander Hamilton’s time. Yes, we have extensive government, however, our government has limits. Because our government has limits, it does not fit Alexander’s Hamilton’s dream. So you may be asking, how is this something we can learn from Alexander Hamilton? Well, the fact that a group of individuals formed a party against Hamilton is a start. The Anti-Federalists opposed his view points, however, this did not discourage him. He took a stance even though he did not have support. Sometimes in life we have to make the unpopular choices even if we stand alone. Alexander Hamilton teaches us bravery and independence. If you stand for nothing, what will you fall for?
So, is he just another name? Personally, I believe no. In the words of the finale of "Hamilton the Musical," "But when you’re gone, who remembers your name? Who keeps your flame? Who tells your story?" Alexander Hamilton was a man not only of his time, but he made an impact that has carried over the past 200 years. He made an impact and his story will continue to be passed down to the generations to come.
