Lin-Manuel Miranda was inspired to create 'Hamilton' after reading a biography while on vacation.

An early version of the musical 'Hamilton' debuted at the White House

Years before the musical "Hamilton" reached Broadway, Lin-Manuel Miranda performed an early draft of the opening song at the White House during a 2009 poetry event attended by President Obama.

Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda tell the story of Alexander Hamilton on 'Drunk History'

On "Drunk History," Lin-Manuel Miranda retells Alexander Hamilton's life after the musical's success—revisiting the founding-era story that made Miranda famous, this time through the show's deliberately chaotic, comedic lens.

Hear a leading historian discuss the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton

Historian Joanne Freeman discusses Hamilton's reputation, personality, and political world. The discussion distinguishes between historical record and myth and reflects on how the musical reshaped public understanding of his life.

Historians debate whether 'Hamilton' is good for historical education

In this article, historians debate whether "Hamilton" deepens public engagement with US history or distorts it—examining accuracy and racial casting, and whether the musical's cultural impact outweighs its historical compromises.

A letter about a hurricane helped launch Hamilton's life in America

After a hurricane severely damaged the Caribbean island of St. Croix, Alexander Hamilton wrote a vivid letter that was later published and impressed local business leaders, who took up a collection to send the teenager to North America for schooling.

Alexander Hamilton's birth year is still disputed

Although Hamilton claimed a 1757 birth, records, newspaper accounts, and later biographers suggest his actual birth year was 1755, leaving historians unsure of his true age when he arrived in America.

One of Hamilton's first published works was an anonymous pamphlet

While on a scholarship at King's College, Alexander Hamilton anonymously published a series of political pamphlets defending the Continental Congress, engaging in a sustained, sharply argued back-and-forth with loyalist writer Samuel Seabury that drew wide attention.

Hamilton's formal education was cut short by the Revolutionary War

Enrolled at King's College, Alexander Hamilton planned to graduate in just a few years, racing through an intense curriculum, before the Revolutionary War interrupted his studies and he joined a New York volunteer militia.

Alexander Hamilton played a significant role in creating the American system of government

From 1787 to 1788, Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay anonymously published a collection of essays known as the Federalist Papers to promote the new Constitution. Of the 85 essays that proved pivotal to the eventual ratification of the document, Hamilton wrote 51.

Hamilton learned about global trade before he was a teenager

Before he moved to America, Hamilton worked as a clerk around age 12 at the Caribbean trading firm Beekman and Cruger, handling shipping documents, inspections, and port logistics. He eventually managed the day-to-day operations of a trading charter that immersed him early in Atlantic commerce.

'Because of phones, we always have the ability to jump out of ourselves. But unless you learn how to be in your head, you’ll never learn how to create.'

- Songwriter and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda (1980-present)

As a kid, Jay-Z was inspired by the Broadway musical “Annie”

That led to the rapper’s 1998 track “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” which sampled one of the show’s most recognizable songs, “Hard Knock Life.” "When the TV version [of Annie] came on, I was drawn to it," he told NPR in 2010.

Hamilton publicly admitted to an affair to rebut corruption charges

In 1797, Alexander Hamilton published the Reynolds Pamphlet, confessing to an extramarital affair and blackmail payments to disprove accusations of financial corruption—clearing his name legally but ruining his reputation.

Hamilton built the foundations of the US financial system as the nation's first Treasury secretary

Appointed the nation's first Treasury secretary in 1789 by George Washington, Alexander Hamilton designed a powerful federal finance system—repaying war debts, creating new taxes, founding a national bank, and promoting economic development.

Hamilton has appeared on US paper currency since the Civil War

Since the US began printing money in 1861, Alexander Hamilton has appeared at different times on the $5, $2, $20, $50, $500, and $1000 bills. Since 1928, he has remained on the $10 bill—making him, alongside Benjamin Franklin, one of the two non-presidents currently on US currency.

Hamilton founded what many regard as the first commercial bank in the United States

In 1784, Alexander Hamilton helped found the Bank of New York, which initially operated without a charter, financed early federal operations, provided what is considered the US government's first loan, and became the first stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Hamilton opposed slavery in principle but participated in the institution

Alexander Hamilton spoke against slavery, helped found the New York Manumission Society, and supported gradual emancipation while also participating in transactions involving enslaved people through his in-laws—and possibly within his own household, though historians debate this.

Alexander Hamilton consolidated states' debts, implemented a tax system, and established a national bank

While the US was only 12 years old when Alexander Hamilton was tapped as the first secretary of the Treasury, it already owed almost $80M. With the country bringing in just $4.4M in taxes, that was not nearly enough to cover government operations and pay debts.

Hamilton was one of Washington's aides during the Revolutionary War

During the Revolutionary War, Alexander Hamilton served as a key aide to George Washington, handling correspondence, strategy, and coordination, and serving as a trusted intermediary between Washington, Congress, and senior military leaders.

Hamilton created the First Bank of the United States

As Treasury secretary, Alexander Hamilton proposed the First Bank of the United States to stabilize national finances—serving as the government's fiscal agent, managing debt, and expanding credit through a public-private banking model.

Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton founded New York City's first private orphanage

Schuyler Hamilton, Alexander's wife for 24 years, continued telling his story after his death. She devoted decades to her own work—cofounding New York's first private orphanage, leading charitable fundraising, and becoming a prominent advocate for education and social welfare in the early republic.

In 1804, Alexander Hamilton was mortally wounded in a duel with Aaron Burr

The fatal duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr followed years of political rivalry. Hamilton had criticized Burr's character and fitness for office, prompting Burr to demand a retraction, which ultimately led to the deadly encounter.

Thomas Jefferson displayed a bust of his political rival, Alexander Hamilton, in the entrance hall of Monticello, placed opposite his own likeness.

Critics argued Hamilton prioritized central power over popular sovereignty

This podcast examines Hamilton's belief in expansive federal power and why he was repeatedly labeled a monarchist—tracing how his calls for a strong executive, his life-tenure proposals at the Constitutional Convention, and his admiration for British stability fueled accusations that he favored centralized power over republican rule.

Hamilton's endorsement helped win Jefferson the presidency

In the 1800 presidential election, neither candidate won a majority in the Electoral College, sending the decision to the House of Representatives. After 36 failed votes, Alexander Hamilton lobbied for his ideological rival, Thomas Jefferson, over Aaron Burr, helping break the deadlock.

‘Hamlet’ is a widely produced show, including a famous performance at one prison

Rehabilitation of convicted violent criminals in Missouri’s Eastern Correctional Center included performances of “Hamlet,” one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays.

Adams had a deep contempt for Alexander Hamilton

Adams regarded him as dangerously ambitious and untrustworthy. Her letters are among the most vivid contemporary assessments of Hamilton, providing a portrait of one of the founding era's most contentious figures.

Hughes' 'Black Nativity' reworked the Christmas story through jazz improvisation

Although he’s primarily known as a poet, Langston Hughes was also a popular playwright. One of his most inventive works is the 1961 stage show “Black Nativity,” which told the story of Christ’s birth with an all-Black cast. Hughes’ original script encourages improvisation, calling on his love of jazz, and includes 27 songs.

Hamilton proposed one of the strongest visions of national government

At the Constitutional Convention, Alexander Hamilton advanced a plan modeled partly on Britain's system, calling for a powerful national executive and for senators to serve for life (with good behavior)—proposals that failed to gain widespread support.

The rivalry between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson centered on federalism—the question of how much power the federal government should hold relative to the states.

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson clashed over how power should be divided in the new republic—Hamilton favoring a strong national government with broad implied powers, and Jefferson warning that such authority would erode state power and threaten republican liberty.

Aaron Burr introduced James Madison to his future wife, Dolley

This trivia celebrating James Madison's birthday notes that Aaron Burr—later vice president and Alexander Hamilton's dueling rival—introduced Madison to Dolley Madison in 1794. It also highlights that Madison arrived 11 days early to the Constitutional Convention to prepare.

Handel's 1741 'Messiah' saved him from financial ruin

The piece is widely recognized as a masterpiece and a perennial expression of highbrow culture during the holiday season. The biblically based, English text also broke from opera norms at the time, rewarding him for his risky innovations.

Hamilton's tax on whiskey sparked the first armed rebellion against US federal authority

As Treasury secretary, Alexander Hamilton designed an excise tax on whiskey that provoked violent resistance in western Pennsylvania. The Whiskey Rebellion ended when George Washington mobilized state militias under federal authority to enforce the law.

Whitman's words have appeared in numerous shows and movies

Whitman's poems have had significant screen time in movies like “Dead Poets Society” and television shows like “Breaking Bad.”

Richard Hamilton's iconic pop art collage inspired the set of 'Barbie' (2023)

Ken's Mojo Dojo Casa House in Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" was inspired by Hamilton's jumbled vision of a home in "Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?" Set designers cited the work as inspiring the mishmash of Americana imagery in the man cave.

The Compromise of 1790 broke a deadlock over debt and the national capital

In 1790, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson reached an agreement that allowed Congress to assume the states' war debts and to approve a permanent national capital on the Potomac River.

Biographer Ron Chernow believes Twain's legacy embodies 'the best and worst of our culture'

Twain’s childhood hometown of Hannibal, Missouri, attracts countless tourists seeking Twain-themed reenactors and museums. Ron Chernow, author of a 2025 about the writer, argues that the ongoing interest in Hannibal and in Twain’s writing is because his work and life typify the American experience.

Jazz was an integral part of the Harlem Renaissance

The Great Migration transformed New York City's Harlem neighborhood into the epicenter of Black American art, with artists such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Bessie Smith regularly performing. The music not only provided the backbeat to the cultural scene—it often influenced it, with Harlem Renaissance poets, in particular, inspired by jazz's approach to rhythm and improvisation.

Sarah Bernhardt was the first actress to play Shakespeare's iconic Hamlet on film

Bernhardt was a popular 19th- and 20th-century actress with a knack for self-promotion. Case in point: When she took over the Théâtre de Ville in Paris, she renamed it Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt. Her production of "Hamlet" at the theater starred her, naturally, as the titular character. A recording of the performance is believed to be the first woman to play Hamlet caught on film.

Shakespeare’s plays were first published together in 1623 after his death

Most of his plays were written for the stage, so it took his admirers to compile the play texts posthumously in 1623. This became the famous “First Folio,” the basis of Shakespeare’s literary posterity.

An indie film helped launch Basquiat's art career

Basquiat starred in “Downtown 81” as a struggling artist, which was not far from reality. In fact, the paintings that he carries throughout the film are some of his earliest works. The production gave him canvas and paint, which he used to create other paintings.

The early years of the Met

The Met didn’t start out in the grand, sprawling grounds that it currently occupies. This episode of Hometown History, a podcast about lesser-known historical places and events, covers the early years of the venerable institution. Learn about how the vision and planning of a group of 19th century artists and philanthropists took the Met from a small collection in a humble brick building to the cultural powerhouse that it is today.

Mel Brooks got his start in comedy by accidentally flubbing a scene in a play and turning it into a fourth-wall-breaking joke, something that would later become a hallmark of his humor.

A 1962 concert at Carnegie Hall introduced the American press to bossa nova

Bossa nova was still largely under the radar when João Gilberto, Luiz Bonfa, Sergio Mendes, and others performed at the storied Carnegie Hall in New York. Brazilian musician Gilberto Gil noted that the showcase's success was surprising to both the musicians and Brazilians, who began taking the music more seriously as a cultural export.

Hughes’ ‘Harlem’ inspired Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun’

Hughes' 11-line poem from “Montage of a Dream Deferred” is one of the most recognizable verses in American literature. Part of that is due to its legacy as the inspiration for the title of Lorraine Hansberry’s landmark 1959 play “A Raisin in the Sun,” the first show written by a Black woman to appear on Broadway.

One '$64,000 Question' winner went from police officer to Shakespearean scholar overnight

Redmond O’Hanlon was a police officer living on Staten Island, New York, when he competed on “The $64,000 Question.” His knowledge of Shakespeare earned him $16,000, which was four times his annual salary. After appearing on the show, he became a minor celebrity, and created a Shakespeare-themed set of playing cards and established the O'Hanlon Shakespeare Service, a consultancy on the Bard, all while continuing to work for the NYPD.

A guide to the major figures of the Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a multidisciplinary arts movement that included literature, music, dance, film, theater, photography, visual art, political activism, and more. This primer includes some of its most influential artists, including Oscar Micheaux, Zora Neale Hurston, Paul Robeson, Fats Waller, WEB DuBois, and more, and allows you to explore their lives and major works.

Shakespeare was criticized in his own time

Robert Greene was a respected writer during Shakespeare’s time as an actor-playwright who famously dismissed the young upstart, accusing him of plagiarism and criticizing his ability to write blank verse.

A 6-year-old Bruno Mars appeared on 'The Arsenio Hall Show'

Hall began performing magic as a child and at 15 appeared on "Soul!," the first American late-night show hosted by a Black man (Ellis Haizlip). When Hall got his own show in 1989, he was always on the lookout for young talent. That eventually led him to a young Elvis impersonator from Hawaii who'd later go by Bruno Mars.

Read the Federalist Papers—the essays that defended the proposed Constitution

Written between 1787 and 1788, the Federalist Papers—85 essays by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay—defended the Constitution and articulated the logic of federalism. They remain a key guide to the original interpretation of the Constitution.