8 Primary Source Documents to Read While Listening to “The Hamilton Mixtape”

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Creator of Hamilton: An American Musical, Lin- Manuel Miranda is dropping “The Hamilton Mixtape” later this week featuring songs from the smash musical performed by pop artists. What better way to prepare than by immersing yourself in the world of the Founding Father himself through primary source documents.

1. The Works of Alexander Hamilton

 

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If you want to dive deep into the history of Alexander Hamilton there is plenty of to sink your teeth into in this 12 Volume collection of Alexander Hamilton’s life’s work edited by his son John C. Hamilton.

2. The Life of Alexander Hamilton

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This biography of Hamilton was also written by John C. Hamilton under the urging of his mother after several other historians dropped out of the project.

3. Death Announcement

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This emotionally charged announcement of Hamilton’s death from the Maryland Gazette demonstrates the shock and dismay that his death caused in early America.

4. Burr vs Hamilton

Two years before their duel, which ended in Hamilton’s death, newspapers were already writing about tensions between Aaron Burr and Hamilton.

5. A Collection of Facts and Documents Relative to the Death of Major General Alexander Hamilton

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Contained within this collection are the letters between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr that lead to their infamous duel.

6. Mrs. Reynolds and Mr. Hamilton: A Romance

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Fascination into the personal life of Alexander Hamilton is nothing new, as is evident in this novel published in 1890 about his affair with Maria Reynolds.

7. The Reynolds Pamphlet

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Written by the man himself and otherwise known as The Reynolds Pamphlet “Observations on Certain Documents Contained in No. V & VI of “The History of the United States for the Year 1796,” In Which the Charge of Speculation Against Alexander Hamilton, Late Secretary of the Treasury, is Fully Refuted,” is Hamilton’s confession to the world that he was having an affair with Maria Reynolds an action which tarnished his reputation irreparably.

8. General Hamilton and Vice President Burr

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You can read a play-by-play of the duel that proved fatal for Alexander Hamilton in this article that also contains the will Hamilton had in his pocket when he died.

Discover more original, firsthand content — meticulously cross-referenced to bring the facts into focus and the information to life in remarkable new ways. Visit gale.com/primary-sources.

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