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Hamilton Review

Immigrants, we get the job done.

By Mae McCreeryPublished 4 years ago 4 min read
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“How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a

Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten

Spot in the Caribbean by Providence, impoverished, in squalor

Grow up to be a hero and a scholar?”

So, I piggyback off my best friends' Disney Plus Account and she has a profile on my Netflix account. I just want to give her a shout out because that's how I watched 'Hamilton' on July 4th, 2020 and I have not stopped listening to the soundtrack for a week.

God. DAYUM.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is a damn GOD.

Honestly, who else learns about the Founding Fathers and thinks to themselves:

"Wouldn't it be cool to make a musical about these guys AND MAKE THEM RAP???"

Who does that? A genius. Also, one of the things that I love about this play is how diverse the cast is. THOMAS JEFFERSON IS PLAYED BY DAVEED DIGGS AND HE'S FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC. Jefferson is not my favorite Founding Father (fuck that guy); but I LOVE how Diggs portrays him, you cannot help but dance along with him.

Personally, the Revolutionary Period of American History never interested me. To me, it was so boring and was never presented to us in school to relate it to our modern culture. As I got older, I noticed similarities between current events and history and that's the way I learn best; to relate the present to the past and how we can change things. There is nothing else I've seen or read that presents that sentiment better than 'Hamilton'.

“Why do you write like you’re

running out of time?

Write day and night like you’re

running out of time?

Ev’ry day you fight, like you’re

running out of time”

From military engagement to politics to the banking system, this play gives you a glimpse of how our government was formed and how much of it survives to this day.

It does a phenomenal job of teaching and entertaining us about how we became a free country and what happened next. It is a biography about Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of Treasury (obviously) and the first Founding Father most people forget to list. However when you do a little research, you can clearly see how instrumental he was to our country. It’s incredible that we didn’t learn more about him before. Then we get to learn more about him and Aaron Burr (Sir), from friends to enemies.

“If you stand for nothing, Burr, what’ll you fall for?”

But we can cover how the broken American Education System is in another article.

“Raise a glass to freedom

Something they can never take away”

Let’s focus on the magical, majestic, marvelous, magnificent HAMILTON!

If you can rap about the Found Fathers arguing in cabinet meetings, you can rap about anything. It’s incredible.

“How does a ragtag volunteer army in need of a shower

Somehow defeat a global superpower?

---

Yo, turns out we have a secret weapon

An immigrant you know and love who’s unafraid to step in

He’s constantly confusing, confounding the British Henchmen

Everyone give it up for America’s Favorite Fighting Frenchman!”

Then we get to see Marquis de Lafayette (literally, his full name is: Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, Marquis de Lafayette) and how he became integral to us winning the war. He brings the force of France to turn the tide of the war in our favor. At the Battle of Yorktown, Lafayette and Hamilton defeat and drive back the British forces.

“How you say, no sweat

We’re finally on the field. We’ve had quite a run

Immigrants:

We get the job done”

I could go on and on about all these characters and each of their stories that deserve the recognition they fought so hard for. Hamilton, Burr, Mulligan, Laurens, Lafayette: the true Avengers right there.

“Look around, look around at how

Lucky we are to be alive right now”

Whether you watch it on Disney+ or saw it live or stream it some other way (legal or illegal, I won’t judge) just watch it, okay? It’s hella long but it’s worth it. Settle in for it, get comfy, and get ready to get fired up.

And no, I'm not defending the Founding Fathers for everything they've ever done. They had such important roles to play in our history, but they forgot to give rights to everyone who wasn't white and had a dick. Yes, things were different then. That's the point. When laws don't reflect the modern culture, they must be changed. We can't erase the constitution but we can amend it, no successful government operates exactly as it did 200 years ago so why are we taking every exact thing that the founding fathers did literally?

It’s the easiest thing in the world to watch this play and then feel yourself getting fired up for a cause. For me, I have been creating and donating graphics for the Black Lives Matter Movement. This just made me want to work harder for more causes that mean so much for so many people.

“I am not throwing away my shot

I am not throwing away my shot

Hey yo, I’m just like my country

I’m young, scrappy, and hungry

And I’m not throwing away my shot”

entertainment
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About the Creator

Mae McCreery

I’m a 29 year old female that is going through a quarter life crisis. When my dream of Journalism was killed, I thought I was over writing forever. Turns out, I still have a lot to say.

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