Hamilton Act 1: Alexander Hamilton Summary & Analysis

Aaron Burr (with an assist from the rest of the company) marvels at how Alexander Hamilton, a “bastard, orphan, son of a whore,” grew to be “the ten-dollar founding father.”

By allowing Aaron Burr to tell his lifelong nemesis Hamilton’s story, Miranda immediately raises the dramatic stakes—and asks audiences to think about who gets to narrate history. Hamilton is, to this day, the face on 10-dollar American bills.

Active Themes

Hamilton was born in the Caribbean at the height of the slave trade. His father split when he was 10 years old, and two years later, his mother died. When a hurricane ravaged the island, Hamilton began to plan his escape, getting a job at a trading charter and reading everything in sight. Eventually, with support from the community around him, Hamilton was able to raise enough money to get to New York.

Hamilton’s backstory here is important for three reasons. First, he is an immigrant from the Caribbean. Over and over again, the musical makes the point that immigrants always have been—and always should be—essential to American strength. Second, Hamilton learns early on that reading and writing can prove key to success. And third, Hamilton’s ambition comes out of his own sense of fear and helplessness, and particularly out of his mother’s traumatizing death.

Active Themes

Quotes

Hamilton introduces himself, explaining that “there’s a million things I haven’t done, but just you wait.” Burr sings about how Hamilton’s enemies (himself included) “destroyed his rep,” while the other major characters reflect on their own relationships to Hamilton: some fought with (or against) him, some loved him, and one even died for him. As the rest of the cast cheers Hamilton on, Burr ends the song admitting that “I’m the damn fool that shot him.”

Active Themes

Hamilton: Act 1: Alexander Hamilton Summary & Analysis