Jefferson in 1943 versus Hamilton in 2016
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Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton have been portrayed as each other’s nemesis over the last two hundred years not only in U.S. History textbooks, but in the arts. Two Broadway shows, “The Patriots” and “Hamilton,” who won drama awards sixty years apart, have emphasized the differences, fostered the myth, and consistently, rendered one a hero and the other, a goat.
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Overview
After a teacher-led preview activity examining the playbill from 1943’s The Patriot, students will analyze excerpts from Sidney Kingsley’s play, The Patriot, with matching primary documents from the Founding Era. Inquiry into excerpts of the play and letters from Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington will be in two collaborative learning activities from first, a small group case study activity, to second, a roundtable discussion. Students will then analyze the lyrics from five Hamilton songs and match dialog excerpts from The Patriots. The student assessment is a written essay to an essential question on myth.
Historiography behind Lesson
President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicates Jefferson Memorial.
After winning a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1933 for his play, Men in White, in 1943, Sidney Kingsley won New York Drama Critic’s Circle award for Best American Play for his play “The Patriots.” “Written out of the questions raised by the fearful epoch of World War II through which…Hitler was rising, threatening the concept of democracy,” Kingsley studied the American Revolution. He “read the letters” of Jefferson, Hamilton, Madison and Washington and found a way “not to rewrite history but to dramatize the significant meaning of events.” After two months on Broadway, Kingsley’s production received an invitation to “produce the play at the Library of Congress to open its celebration of the bicentennial of the birth of Thomas Jefferson.” Catching the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, an admirer of Jefferson, Kingsley was invited him to sit in the “private family box” at the inauguration of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. (quotes from Kingsley’s reflections).
In May 2009, Lin-Manuel Miranda was invited by President Barack Obama for a White House poetry jam to perform what would become the opening number of “Hamilton.” “It’s a concept album about the life of someone I think embodies hip-hop: Treasure Secretary Alexander Hamilton,” Miranda announced to a laughing President and Michelle Obama. “Hamilton” would go on to win in 2016, the MacArthur “Genius Grant,” the Pulitzer for drama, two Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award and a record-breaking 16 Tony Award nominations with three Tony award wins.
In May 2009, Lin-Manuel Miranda was invited by President Barack Obama for a White House poetry jam to perform what would become the opening number of “Hamilton.” “It’s a concept album about the life of someone I think embodies hip-hop: Treasure Secretary Alexander Hamilton,” Miranda announced to a laughing President and Michelle Obama. “Hamilton” would go on to win in 2016, the MacArthur “Genius Grant,” the Pulitzer for drama, two Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award and a record-breaking 16 Tony Award nominations with three Tony award wins.
Prior Knowledge, Objectives, and Materials
The inspiration of this lesson and the basis of essential questions are based on Gordon-Reed's and Onuf's book, "Most Blessed of the Patriarchs."
Students should have studied and analyzed the Declaration of Independence, events (political, military and home front) of the American Revolution and Constitutional Convention.
Students will understand…
Materials:
Red pencils and Green pencils
Preview
Students will understand…
- The discord and disunity that existed in early American politics, including the views the Founding Fathers had of one another.
- The issues that prompted/promoted factionalism in early America, as well as the fears and concerns of the citizenry.
- The nature of historiography and its relationship to current events.
- Identify, connect and analyze dramatic prose to primary documents
- Interpret analysis of secondary sources from recognized historical scholars
- Express their views in discussion and writing
- The myth is supported by purposely selected primary sources.
- The consequence in artistic interpretation effects the legacy of the Founders.
- The creation and interpretation of art reflects the current political struggles of the time period the art was created.
Materials:
Red pencils and Green pencils
Preview
- Playbill of The Patriots (pdf)
- Coming Home to Secretary of State (pdf)
- My Wife’s Death (pdf)
- How is Lafayette? (pdf)
- Jefferson and the PEOPLE (pdf)
- Meet as Friends? (pdf)
- The Debt Deal (pdf)
- Jupiter, “Body Servant” (pdf)
- Hamilton and Jefferson Heat Up (pdf)
- Election of 1800 (pdf)
- “What’d I Miss”
- “Cabinet Battle #1”
- “The Room Where It Happened”
- “Cabinet Battle #2”
- “Election of 1800”
Steps and Procedures
WHOLE CLASS INSTRUCTION-DAY ONE
SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY-DAY ONE AND TWO
MEDIUM GROUP ACTIVITY-DAY THREE
MEDIUM GROUP ACTIVITY-DAY FOUR
WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION-DAY FIVE
WHAT MAIN IDEALS DID HAMILTON SUPPOSEDLY EMBRACE IN THE 2016 PLAY?
WHAT ISSUES WERE THEY ON COMPLETE OPPOSITE SIDES?
HOW WERE THEY ALIKE?
WHY ARE HAMILTON AND JEFFERSON THE PERFECT NEMISIS FOR EACH OTHER?
WHAT WAS THE STRONG HISTORICAL EVIDENCE THAT CONTRADICTED EITHER PLAY?
ASSESSMENT
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT WORK-DAY FIVE
Matrix of Case Studies with Matching Essential Questions
Coming Home to Secretary of State
From this excerpt of the play’s prologue, how is Jefferson “the most blessed patriarchs”?
My Wife’s Death
From this excerpt of the play’s prologue, how is Jefferson “the most blessed patriarchs”?
How is Lafayette?
From the excerpt of Kingsley’s play, Act I, Scene I and the primary documents, how does Lafayette embody what Peter Onuf and Annette Gordon Reed observed in their book Most Blessed of the Patriarchs that “French revolutionaries draw inspiration from their ‘sister republic?’”
Jefferson and the PEOPLE
In Most Blessed of the Patriarchs Peter Onuf and Annette Gordon Reid wrote “Jefferson…view[ed] that the manners, or moeurs, of a people were foundational to its politics. Certain conditions had to obtain before republicanism could take hold among the people and make them ready for self-governance.” From the Kingsley’s play, Act I, Scene I and Jefferson’s letter to Kercheval, list the “manner, or moeurs” that Jefferson thinks the people should embody.
Meet as Friends?
How does the excerpt from Kinglsey’s play, Act I, Scene 1, contradict the evidence in letters by Jefferson and Hamilton to the Washington, the “patriarch” of the country?
The Debt Deal
How does Sidney’s Kingsley’s dialog in Act I, Scene 2 match with Jefferson’s letter to Washington in 1792?
Jupiter, “Body Servant”
In Most Blessed of the Patriarchs by Peter Onuf and Annette Gordon Reid, they wrote “By the time Jefferson reached the presidency, his understanding of how to play the role of the “good slave master to the enslaved people closest to him had changed.” How does the excerpt from Act II, Scene 2 of Kingsley’s play and Jefferson’s two criticisms of slavery buoy Jefferson’s assertion that he is the “good slave master.”
Hamilton and Jefferson Heat Up
Using textual evidence, how is the excerpt from Kingsley’s play, Act II, Scene 3, backed up from the excerpts from Jefferson to Rutledge and Madison and can be used to support that Jefferson is the “blessed patriarch” of the country?
Election of 1800
How does Hamilton’s letter to Otis and the excerpt from Kingsley play from Act III, Scene 1, support Hamilton’s suspicions of Burr’s character?
Assessment(s): On days one through four, the teacher should take formative assessments checking the worksheets while monitoring both the homogenous and heterogeneous group activities. The summative assessment is individual on the fifth day and is the written answer to the essential question. The students should use their worksheet from the formative assessments to help complete the summative assessment.
- PREVIEW: A preview assignment is a short, engaging task that foreshadows the upcoming content. This preview assignment introduces the student to a playbill from 1943. The teacher will lead a short discussion on what is in the playbill, such as acts and scenes of the play. Note, the students may enjoy the advertisements from the 1940’s.
SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY-DAY ONE AND TWO
- CASE STUDIES: There are nine “case studies” of lyrics with supportive primary documents and corresponding essential questions. The teacher will create groups of three to four, each receiving an individual case study. NOTE: The teacher need not select all nine to study, just the case studies that fits with the Founding era curriculum he or she wants to emphasize. Each case study can stand on its own. Each team should follow the procedure to complete the case study:
- Students select roles and read the play excerpt out loud.
- Then students read primary document excerpts from the Founders. Because these are primary documents from the 18th century, reading out loud helps with comprehension. Teacher should answer questions on 18th century vocabulary. (This is not a vocabulary lesson, so define words quickly for the students to gain comprehension quickly.)
- Students will find textual evidence from the primary sources that match the play’s dialog and put it in the column. The textual evidence needs to only be a phrase, not necessarily a whole sentence.
MEDIUM GROUP ACTIVITY-DAY THREE
- ROUND-TABLE INSTRUCTION-The teacher will change the groups from the homogenous groups of the case studies to a heterogeneous group for sharing the results of the case studies. For instance, if the teacher chose only three case studies for analysis, “The Debt Deal,” “Jupiter, Body Servant,” and “Election of 1800”, the teacher would have three students in the round-table group from those case studies. Each team should follow the procedure to complete the round-table discussion.
- Each student will read their play excerpt.
- Each student will then report on the textual evidence.
- Each student will present his or her answer to the corresponding essential question.
MEDIUM GROUP ACTIVITY-DAY FOUR
- HAMILTON LYRICS ANALYSIS-In the same medium groups, the students will read (rap or sing) the five Lin-Manuel Miranda lyrics. (Note: Students may comprehend much quicker if they listen on their cell phones or on a Chromebook. This depends on the rules on electronic devices of the teacher and/or the school.) Students select phrases from the raps that are textual evidence that support or do not support the dialog from Kingsley 1943 dialog on Jefferson. The students will write the supporting textual evidence in green and the disagreeing textual in red within the textual evidence column.
WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION-DAY FIVE
- HISTORIOGRAPHY: Before the whole class discussion, each group from day four reports their agreements and disagrees (greens and reds in the textual evidence column.) After the group reports, using a white board or smart board, the teacher starts the whole group discussion with the following questions:
WHAT MAIN IDEALS DID HAMILTON SUPPOSEDLY EMBRACE IN THE 2016 PLAY?
WHAT ISSUES WERE THEY ON COMPLETE OPPOSITE SIDES?
HOW WERE THEY ALIKE?
WHY ARE HAMILTON AND JEFFERSON THE PERFECT NEMISIS FOR EACH OTHER?
WHAT WAS THE STRONG HISTORICAL EVIDENCE THAT CONTRADICTED EITHER PLAY?
ASSESSMENT
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT WORK-DAY FIVE
- MYTH: The students will answer the following question using the textual evidence from the case studies: How does each play, “work of art” forward the myth of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton?
Matrix of Case Studies with Matching Essential Questions
Coming Home to Secretary of State
From this excerpt of the play’s prologue, how is Jefferson “the most blessed patriarchs”?
My Wife’s Death
From this excerpt of the play’s prologue, how is Jefferson “the most blessed patriarchs”?
How is Lafayette?
From the excerpt of Kingsley’s play, Act I, Scene I and the primary documents, how does Lafayette embody what Peter Onuf and Annette Gordon Reed observed in their book Most Blessed of the Patriarchs that “French revolutionaries draw inspiration from their ‘sister republic?’”
Jefferson and the PEOPLE
In Most Blessed of the Patriarchs Peter Onuf and Annette Gordon Reid wrote “Jefferson…view[ed] that the manners, or moeurs, of a people were foundational to its politics. Certain conditions had to obtain before republicanism could take hold among the people and make them ready for self-governance.” From the Kingsley’s play, Act I, Scene I and Jefferson’s letter to Kercheval, list the “manner, or moeurs” that Jefferson thinks the people should embody.
Meet as Friends?
How does the excerpt from Kinglsey’s play, Act I, Scene 1, contradict the evidence in letters by Jefferson and Hamilton to the Washington, the “patriarch” of the country?
The Debt Deal
How does Sidney’s Kingsley’s dialog in Act I, Scene 2 match with Jefferson’s letter to Washington in 1792?
Jupiter, “Body Servant”
In Most Blessed of the Patriarchs by Peter Onuf and Annette Gordon Reid, they wrote “By the time Jefferson reached the presidency, his understanding of how to play the role of the “good slave master to the enslaved people closest to him had changed.” How does the excerpt from Act II, Scene 2 of Kingsley’s play and Jefferson’s two criticisms of slavery buoy Jefferson’s assertion that he is the “good slave master.”
Hamilton and Jefferson Heat Up
Using textual evidence, how is the excerpt from Kingsley’s play, Act II, Scene 3, backed up from the excerpts from Jefferson to Rutledge and Madison and can be used to support that Jefferson is the “blessed patriarch” of the country?
Election of 1800
How does Hamilton’s letter to Otis and the excerpt from Kingsley play from Act III, Scene 1, support Hamilton’s suspicions of Burr’s character?
Assessment(s): On days one through four, the teacher should take formative assessments checking the worksheets while monitoring both the homogenous and heterogeneous group activities. The summative assessment is individual on the fifth day and is the written answer to the essential question. The students should use their worksheet from the formative assessments to help complete the summative assessment.
Standards
Common Core Literacy Standards (Grades 9 and 10)
Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
Craft and Structure:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.6: Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.8: Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.9: Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.
Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
Craft and Structure:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.6: Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.8: Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.9: Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.