Hamilton Assignment

1.        Listen to 10 Hamilton songs and conduct some research (see below.)  You can find the songs on any on-line music source you subscribe to you or you can use this link.  Take note!  Includes annotations that may be helpful to your research: http://genius.com/albums/Lin-manuel-miranda/Hamilton-original-broadway-cast-recording

If you subscribe to Disney Plus or want to sign up for a free trial, you can now watch the film of the Original Broadway Cast!

2.   OPTIONAL -- NOT REQUIRED   Read http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/08/t-magazine/hamilton-lin-manuel-miranda-roots-sondheim.html?_r=0

This article was posted shortly before Hamilton opened on Broadway; it contains short interviews with Miranda, other composers/musicians, and Ron Chernow, the historical consultant for the show.
If the New York Times link won't open for you (usually folks get a few "free" articles each month but sometimes it can freeze you out) I have posted a PDF in D2L content under "Course Readings."

3.      Read this critique of Hamilton: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2016/04/a_hamilton_critic_on_why_the_musical_isn_t_so_revolutionary.html

4.      Contrast the critique with this defense: http://www.vox.com/2016/4/14/11418672/hamilton-is-fanfic-not-historically-inaccurate

5.      Optional, but highly encouraged.  If you’re researching some of the Cabinet battles between Jefferson and Hamilton, this link might be helpful.  It is aimed at students younger than college, but it does a good job boiling down the essential issues in an accessible manner.  Click on the pictures of Jefferson and Hamilton to read their perspectives.

https://gtm-media.discoveryeducation.com/videos/socialstudiestechbook/interactives/iOS6_Fixes/Content/HTML/Enduring Debates/index.htm?Title=Jefferson%20vs.%20Hamilton&Path=jeffersonvshamilton&Lang=en&skin=1&bookid=5&pageid=2602&acc=1 

Choose ten songs to listen to and research.  Choose some from Act 1 and some from Act 2.  (You are, of course, welcome to listen to the entire musical!)  You should then conduct some internet research to answer the questions below.  Lin-Manual Miranda has participated in the crowd-sourced annotations at Genius.com, and they are well worth checking out.  You are free, of course, to search more widely, especially if you are interested in a certain song or aspect of the music.

In your post on D2L: Summarize what happens during the song.  Who is singing?  What happens during the song in terms of American history?  What did you learn about this song while doing some research about it?  If you know anything about music (rap and/or Broadway musicals) feel free to comment upon which form(s) of music Miranda is drawing from in this particular song.  If someone else has already summarized a song, do not repeat what they said, but certainly feel free to add your own analysis and commentary.  Before you choose which songs to listen to, you might scan the discussion post at D2L and pick out songs which  have not been discussed yet.  I expect that many of you will rely upon the Genius.com annotations.  Be sure to put your discussion post in your own words or quote and cite properly.  If you found some interesting analysis at another website, please be sure to share the links.