The Truth About The Musical Hamilton

One of the biggest musicals to hit Broadway in recent times, Hamilton took America by storm thanks to its amazing songs and creative storytelling all based in U.S. history. A man no one once knew too much about became a household name everyone was familiar with. But while this was a great format for entertaining and teaching kids at the same time, not everything told in this musical is true. Here are 10 facts that were accurately portrayed and 10 other interesting things about Hamilton you should know.

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1. Hamilton And Burr Were Rivals

The biggest plot point in Hamilton centers around the rivalry between Hamilton and Burr, which was in fact, true! These two were political enemies that constantly fought during their time in government. Because of their differing beliefs, they could never see eye-to-eye, which was pretty well done in the musical.

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2. Hamilton Created The First American Financial System 

Yes, Hamilton's greatest achievement depicted in the musical is accurate. As the founder of the U.S. financial system, his vision changed the country's economy forever. Developing the first national bank, his goal was to help America during its time after the Revolutionary War, which was ridden with debt.

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3. Hamilton and Angelica Schuyler Did Flirt For Many Years

While Hamilton did exaggerate the "hidden love" between Hamilton and Angelica Schuyler, they did actually flirt via letters for many years. Nothing ever came from it of course, but many do believe they were weirdly overly affectionate towards one another. 

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4. Hamilton Did Have An Affair With Maria Reynolds

Considered one of the first major scandals to ever hit American political history, Hamilton did in fact have an affair with Ms. Maria Reynolds. They even accurately mentioned that he paid off Maria's husband with hush money (about $1,300) to keep him from tainting his name further.

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5. He Was An Orphan

Not only did Hamilton's father leave the family while he was very young, his mother also passed early likely due to Yellow Fever. This means he was orphaned already during his early teens, which was speculated to be around when he was 13 years old.

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6. King George III Was Mentally Unstable

While King George III is seen as a comedic figure in the musical, his on-screen insanity was actually pretty accurate. His majesty suffered from a disorder called porphyria which caused him hallucinations and disorientation. That's why he's often referred to as the "Mad King." 

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7. George Washington Was A Mentor To Hamilton

After working closely for so many years, George Washington is stated to have been a mentor and teacher to Hamilton. Though the musical portrays them as having a very close personal relationship, it was definitely more of a professional one based off of respect. And for an added fun fact, Hamilton did help Washington with his final speech!

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8. Philip Hamilton Passed From A Duel

As shown in the musical, the oldest Hamilton son, Philip, did pass away after losing a duel to George Eacker. After hearing him badmouthing his father repeatedly and getting into a verbal conflict, Philip challenged him to a duel. Though he obeyed his father's advice to delope, he was fatally shot during this encounter.

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9. Hamilton Passed From A Duel

Although he didn't pass immediately as portrayed in the musical, Hamilton did lose his life the following day after being fatally shot in a duel against Burr. Though it was years of pent up anger, it all started thanks to a publication sent out that stated Hamilton said nasty things about Burr. When no resolution could be presented, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel, leading to this eventual outcome.

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10. Eliza Did Honor Hamilton's Legacy

After Hamilton's passing, Eliza did spend many years trying to keep his legacy alive. Founding the Hamilton Free School which provided poor families with education for their children, she also opened the Orphan Asylum Society which was the city's first private orphanage. 

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1. The Hamiltons Had 8 Children Total

While Hamilton only really features the eldest son, Philip, in reality, the Hamiltons actually had 8 children in total. They even had a second son named Philip too! Of course, introducing every single child will take up too much time in this already long musical, so it had to be cut out. 

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2. Hamilton Was Involved With Slavery

Though the musical depicts Hamilton as an abolitionist, recent studies have shown he may have been a slave owner at some point during his life. While it's uncertain whether that's true, he's also speculated to have been involved with helping members of his family buy and sell enslaved individuals. 

John Trumbull on Wikimedia

3. The Reynolds Pamphlet Didn't Destroy His Career

Even though the Reynolds affair and following pamphlet tainted his reputation, it didn't stop Hamilton from staying in power. In fact, it's said that Washington didn't change his opinion of him in the slightest. And while some members of the public appreciated his complete and utter honesty, others still started viewing him in a negative light.

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4. Hamilton May Have Had A Crush On Laurens

While there's no actual proof that this was true, some historians believe that Hamilton may have had a "crush" on John Laurens, one of his closest friends in life. They supposedly sent each other many passionate and loving letters, which seem to be misinterpreted very differently by various people. Regardless of their true relationship, it's undeniable that the two had a great friendship and truly cared for one another.

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5. Angelica Was Married When She Met Hamilton

Though the musical depicts Angelica as an eligible maiden who turned Hamilton away, this wasn't what happened in history. She was actually already married to a man named John Barker Church and had several children when they first met!

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6. Hamilton Supported An American Monarchy

While you might believe Hamilton hated the idea of a monarchy because he took down King George III, it's not entirely true. In fact, Hamilton has voiced in the past his belief that a good President should be able to hold power for the entirety of his life. This would help promote stability for the government and the economy. 

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7. Possibly Lied About His Age

Many historians now believe that Hamilton actually lied about his age. Potentially saying he was 2 years younger than he actually was, it's thought that he did this to gain more pity points with the public. 

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8. The Schulyer Sisters Actually Had 3 Brothers

You know Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy, but did you ever hear about John, Philip, or Rensselaer? Yes, as it turns out, the Schuyler Sisters actually had 3 brothers in the family. So no, the line in the hit song, Satisfied, where Angelica says "my father has no sons" is completely false. Not including the brothers was likely done to push the romantic narrative further.

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9. He Worked A Variety Of Different Jobs

Hamilton may be best known for his work developing the financial system, but he was so much more than that. Also a lawyer, an author, a statesman, and a military officer, he certainly made his mark in several different fields.

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10. Hamilton Had An Older Brother

Making no mention of him in the musical, you might be surprised to learn Hamilton actually had an older brother named James Jr. The production makes you believe he was left all alone, but the truth is, he was with his brother for a couple years following their mother's death. Not a lot is known about him though!

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