Hamilton

When Burr and Hamilton return from the war, both set up law practices in the same neighborhood of New York City. Sometimes they even work together on cases. But while Hamilton is brash and opinionated, Burr is still biding his time—and complaining about Hamilton’s rush (“why do you write like you’re running out of time?”).

Hamilton is nominated for the Constitutional Convention, where he talks for six full hours. Motivated by what he sees at the Convention, Hamilton begins writing the Federalist Papers, a series of anonymous essays in favor of the Constitution. Hamilton asks Burr to join him in paper writing, but Burr says no—“I’ll keep all my plans close to my chest,” he responds, “I’m taking my time / watching the afterbirth of a nation / watching the tension grow.”

Meanwhile, Angelica announces that she has married a wealthy British man and is moving to London. Eliza begs, again, to let be into her husband’s thought processes. And Washington gives Hamilton the opportunity to serve as the country’s first Secretary of the Treasury.

Without any melody or lyricism, Burr states the simple—and astonishing—facts. There were 85 essays in the Federalist papers, written over the course of six months. John Jay wrote 5, James Madison wrote 29, and “Hamilton wrote the other 51.”

The song builds to a climax, as all of the different refrains from the first act return and intersect. “I am not throwin’ away my shot!” Hamilton cries, defiantly—and the first act is finished.