UNITED STATES HISTORY · MR. CUTLER · 2026–2027
Unit 2: The Early Republic and the Making of a Nation August 31–October 19, 2026 · Sections 1, 2, and 3
Unit overview: Read and discuss David Treuer and Martha Brockenbrough, work through the Road to Revolution simulations, and examine Hamilton: The Musical. The unit culminates in an in-class essay comparing Brockenbrough’s biography with the musical.
VIEWING PLAN (updated 9/28/26): As of the September 21 update, all three sections had watched only the first 35 minutes. Session 2 uses the full 50 minutes on September 22 for Sections 2–3 and September 24 for Section 1. Session 3 will use the full 50 minutes on September 29 for Sections 2–3 and October 1 for Section 1, with the goal of finishing the musical. Use October 2 for any remaining viewing and seminar preparation. Any later catch-up uses available time after scheduled activities. Follow the revised seminar, reflection, practice, and essay dates below.
SCHEDULE UPDATE: Friday, October 2’s Chapters 7–9 seminar moves to Monday, October 5. Later lessons move to each section’s next class meeting. Monday, October 12 remains a school holiday. Final seminars: October 13 (Sections 2–3) and October 14 (Section 1). Essay: October 14 and 16 (Sections 2–3); October 15 and 16 (Section 1). Essay self-assessment: Monday, October 19. The October 5 seminar reflection is due October 7; final seminar reflections are due October 16 at 3:25 p.m., allowing time after each section’s rescheduled discussion.
Quick links: Reading and reflection deadlines · Daily lessons · Essay dates and materials · Weekly reading and viewing map · Songs and lyrics · Printouts · Self-assessment rubric
Hamilton essay and activity: Open the full essay prompt and viewing guide. This section appears below the assignment sheet and daily lessons.
IN CLASS: The lesson or activity for the sections listed on that date.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Reading or preparation to complete after class. The deadline is stated in bold.
DUE TODAY: Work due or an assessment taking place on that date. Check the section and time.
LEARNING FOCUS: The understanding or skill to develop through the lesson.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: An observance, adjustment, or reminder that affects scheduling.
Required work: Complete the assigned readings, seminars, simulations, viewing activities, reflections, essay, and self-assessment. Any optional enrichment will be explicitly labeled “Optional.”
“No new homework” means continue previously assigned work. It does not cancel an upcoming reading or reflection deadline. Canvas submission deadlines apply to all sections unless a section is specified—even when your section does not meet that day.
| Section | Regular meeting days |
|---|---|
| Section 1 | Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday |
| Sections 2 and 3 | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday |
Opening-week and holiday exceptions appear below. Follow the “Who meets” line on each date.
Finish each reading before your seminar begins. Prepare to discuss the reading and refer to specific passages. All seminar self-reflections go to Canvas by 3:25 p.m. on the dates listed.
| Seminar date | Required reading | Reflection due |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 9: Sections 2–3 Sept. 10: Section 1 |
The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer: “Prologue” and “Fatal Encounters: 10,000 BCE–1890,” through p. 51. | Tuesday, Sept. 15 3:25 p.m. |
| Friday, Sept. 18 All sections |
Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary by Martha Brockenbrough: Foreword and Chapters 1–3, through p. 73. | Friday, Sept. 25 3:25 p.m. Holiday adjustment |
| Friday, Sept. 25 All sections |
Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary: Chapters 4–6, through p. 161. | Tuesday, Sept. 29 3:25 p.m. |
| Monday, Oct. 5 All sections |
Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary: Chapters 7–9, through p. 233. | Wednesday, Oct. 7 3:25 p.m. |
| Tuesday, Oct. 13: Sections 2–3 Wednesday, Oct. 14: Section 1 |
Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary: Chapters 10–12 and Epilogue, through p. 317. | Friday, Oct. 16 3:25 p.m. |
Additional early deadline: Sections 2 and 3 must submit Assignments 1.13 and 1.14 by 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 9.
| Section | Essay dates |
|---|---|
| Sections 2 and 3 | Wednesday, October 14 and Friday, October 16 |
| Section 1 | Thursday, October 15 and Friday, October 16 |
Prepare before your first essay period: Update DigiExam and bring a charged computer, your movie notes, and Brockenbrough’s biography.
ESSAY MATERIALS: During the essay, you may use your own notes about the musical and Brockenbrough’s biography. Have both ready for Mr. Cutler to check.
WRITING: All students will write the essay in DigiExam during their two assigned class periods. All essay drafting and revision take place in class. Between periods, you may reread the biography and review your movie notes.
AFTER THE ESSAY: All sections complete the Self-Assessment Rubric embedded at the end of this assignment sheet in class on Monday, October 19, then arrange a one-on-one conference.
OPEN THE GUIDE: Hamilton viewing and essay guide. The guide appears below the daily lessons on this page. It includes 47 optional song entries with expanded scene examples, song recordings and lyrics, writing models, seminar checkpoints, and essay expectations.
VIEWING NOTES: Open song notes to print or download a Word copy. Take notes by hand unless you have a laptop accommodation; students with that accommodation may download their own Word copy. You do not need to closely assess every song or complete every prompt. Take brief viewing notes, then choose a few promising scenes for closer comparison. Print only the notes pages you need.
NOTE TAKING: Take viewing and preparation notes by hand unless you have a laptop accommodation. Students with laptop accommodations may type their notes. All students write the essay in DigiExam.
VIEWING BEFORE READING: It is okay to see a scene before you reach that part of the biography. Take movie notes now, label them “Read and compare later,” and return to them when you read the relevant chapters. You do not need to read ahead. Use the weekly reading and viewing map to see when to revisit each comparison.
YOUR OWN OBSERVATION: As part of your preparation notes, add at least one observation of your own that is not already in the scene menu. You may use a provided example in the essay after finding the relevant passage in the biography and explaining the comparison in your own words.
SEMINAR CHECKPOINTS: At the end of each Hamilton seminar, choose one scene you have watched and a passage from the chapters just completed. Record the chapter and exact page, explain a similarity or difference, and describe what it helps a viewer understand or could lead a viewer to misunderstand. Keep this work in your preparation notes. See the four seminar checkpoints. These checks are part of class preparation; continue submitting seminar self-reflections on the deadlines listed above.
The Brimmer policy summarized here governs the deadlines in this unit. Jewish observances begin at sundown. Students who miss athletics for an observance are not penalized.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: Rosh Hashanah — September 11–13 no-homework weekend. Day 1, September 12, is Category 1; Day 2, September 13, is Category 2. The no-homework-weekend rule applies throughout this weekend: no work is expected, and nothing is due and no assessments take place Monday, September 14. Begin or resume the September 18 reading during the school week.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: Category 2 reminder: Ordinarily, typical homework may be due, but projects, labs, and assessments may not. Observing students arrange make-up time privately without loss of credit. For September 11–13, follow the no-homework-weekend protection above.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: Yom Kippur — sundown Sunday, September 20, through Monday, September 21. No school Monday. Under the stated Category 1 policy, homework, projects, labs, and assessments may not be due until at least two class periods after the holiday, regardless of when they were assigned. The September 18 seminar reflection is therefore due Friday, September 25, at 3:25 p.m., instead of Wednesday, September 23. All sections will have had two class meetings before Friday.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: Sukkot — sundown Friday, September 25, through Friday, October 2. Under Category 3, assignments and assessments may proceed. Observing students who cannot complete work arrange make-up time privately with Mr. Cutler, without loss of credit.
Jump to: Opening classes · September 14–18 · September 22–25 · September 28–October 2 · October 5–9 · Essay week
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
IN CLASS: Introductions and a getting-to-know-you Kahoot. Special schedule: morning meeting, advisory, homeroom, and short class meetings.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Read the “Prologue” and “Fatal Encounters: 10,000 BCE–1890,” through p. 51, in The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer. Prepare for a Mr. Cutler–led seminar. Sections 2–3: due Wednesday, September 9. Section 1: due Thursday, September 10.
WHO MEETS: Sections 2 and 3 only
IN CLASS: Review class pacing, coverage, themes, and expectations.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: No new homework. Continue the Treuer reading for your September 9 seminar.
Wednesday, September 2 — NO CLASS / ALL SECTIONS. Camp.
Thursday, September 3 — NO CLASS / ALL SECTIONS. Camp.
Friday, September 4 — NO CLASS / ALL SECTIONS. Extended Labor Day weekend.
Monday, September 7 — NO CLASS / ALL SECTIONS. Labor Day.
WHO MEETS: Sections 2 and 3 only
IN CLASS: Use class time to read and prepare for tomorrow’s Treuer seminar.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Due Wednesday, September 9, by 8:00 a.m.: Submit Assignments 1.13 and 1.14. Finish the Treuer reading through p. 51 before your seminar.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
DUE TODAY: Sections 2–3: Assignments 1.13 and 1.14 by 8:00 a.m.; Treuer reading through p. 51 completed before the seminar.
IN CLASS: Section 1: Review class pacing, coverage, themes, and expectations.
Sections 2–3: Mr. Cutler–led seminar on the “Prologue” and “Fatal Encounters,” through p. 51, in The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Section 1: Finish the Treuer reading for tomorrow’s seminar.
Sections 2–3: No new homework. Your Treuer seminar self-reflection is due Tuesday, September 15, by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas.
WHO MEETS: Section 1 only
DUE TODAY: Section 1: Treuer reading through p. 51 completed before the seminar.
IN CLASS: Mr. Cutler–led seminar on the “Prologue” and “Fatal Encounters,” through p. 51, in The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Due Tuesday, September 15, by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas: Complete your Treuer seminar self-reflection. This deadline applies even though Section 1 does not meet Tuesday.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
IN CLASS: Begin the Road to Revolution simulation.
LEARNING FOCUS: Connect the French and Indian War to the tensions that led toward the American Revolution.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Due Friday, September 18, before class: Read the Foreword and Chapters 1–3, through p. 73, in Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary by Martha Brockenbrough. Prepare for the first Hamilton seminar. Plan to complete this reading during the school week.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: No-homework weekend: You are not expected to work September 11–13. Nothing is due Monday, September 14, and there will be no assessments that day.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
IN CLASS: Continue the Road to Revolution simulation, connecting the French and Indian War to the road to revolution.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Due Tuesday, September 15, by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas: Submit your Treuer seminar self-reflection. Continue the Hamilton reading—Foreword and Chapters 1–3, through p. 73—for Friday.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: Nothing is due and no assessments occur today. This is the first class after the Rosh Hashanah no-homework weekend.
WHO MEETS: Sections 2 and 3 only
DUE TODAY: ALL SECTIONS: Treuer seminar self-reflection by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas. Section 1 submits even though it does not meet today.
IN CLASS: Introduce the in-class essay and complete the opening activity in the Hamilton viewing and essay guide. Watch the first 35 minutes of Hamilton: The Musical and discuss. Keep brief movie notes using the guide’s four-part format. Open song notes to print or download a Word copy.
FILM + READING: As you read Chapters 1–3, connect the opening and hurricane writing (ch. 1), Farmer Refuted (ch. 3), and Washington’s invitation in Right Hand Man (ch. 3) to scenes you have watched. It is okay if viewing comes before the matching reading. Take notes now; compare the scene with the biography when you reach that chapter. Weekly reading and viewing map.
LEARNING FOCUS: Begin noticing how a written biography and a musical present the same historical figure.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: No new homework. Continue the Foreword and Chapters 1–3, through p. 73, for Friday’s seminar.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
IN CLASS: Section 1: Introduce the essay and complete the opening activity in the Hamilton viewing and essay guide; watch the first 35 minutes of Hamilton: The Musical and discuss.
Sections 2–3: Discuss the opening segment, review your movie notes, and compare a scene with a passage from Chapters 1–3. The second segment is scheduled for September 22.
All sections: Keep brief movie notes. When you reach the matching biography passage, record its page and explain what the film and book present the same way or differently. Open song notes to print or download a Word copy.
FILM + READING: For Friday’s seminar, compare scenes from the opening segment with Chapters 1–3. Save questions about courtship and later wartime events for the second viewing segment and Chapters 4–6 next week. Weekly reading and viewing map.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: For Friday, September 18: Finish the Foreword and Chapters 1–3, through p. 73, and prepare for the seminar.
WHO MEETS: Section 1 only
IN CLASS: Review the opening segment of Hamilton: The Musical and discuss. Use the Hamilton viewing and essay guide to compare a scene with a passage from Chapters 1–3. Record its page and explain a similarity or difference. The second segment is scheduled for September 24. Open song notes to print or download a Word copy.
FILM + READING: For Friday, compare early-life and early-Revolution scenes you have watched with Chapters 1–3. Save questions about courtship, dueling, and later wartime events for the second viewing segment and Chapters 4–6 next week. Weekly reading and viewing map.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: For tomorrow’s seminar: Finish the Foreword and Chapters 1–3, through p. 73.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
DUE TODAY: All sections: Foreword and Chapters 1–3, through p. 73, completed before the seminar.
IN CLASS: Seminar on the Foreword and Chapters 1–3, through p. 73, in Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary by Martha Brockenbrough. At the end of the seminar, choose a scene your class has watched about early life, writing, Seabury, or joining Washington’s staff. Find the biography’s account of the same event and record its exact page. Explain a similarity or difference and what a viewer would understand or misunderstand because of it. Use the Hamilton seminar checkpoints.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Due Friday, September 25, before class: Read Chapters 4–6, through p. 161, for the next seminar.
Due Friday, September 25, by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas: Submit the self-reflection for today’s seminar.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: Adjusted reflection deadline: September 25 replaces September 23 to allow two class periods after Yom Kippur. The holiday begins at sundown Sunday, September 20; no school Monday, September 21.
Monday, September 21 — NO CLASS / ALL SECTIONS. Yom Kippur; the observance began at sundown Sunday, September 20.
WHO MEETS: Sections 2 and 3 only
IN CLASS: Use the full 50 minutes for viewing session 2 of Hamilton: The Musical, continuing from your class’s actual stopping point. Jot brief observations while watching. Use the Hamilton viewing and essay guide to develop your film-and-book comparisons during the already scheduled reading, seminar, and preparation activities. Open song notes to print or download a Word copy.
FILM + READING: Use Chapters 4–6 to compare scenes your class reaches about courtship, dueling, Hamilton’s break with Washington, and Yorktown. Work only with scenes you have watched. If the reading is ahead of the film, record a question to watch for; if the film is ahead, label your notes “Read and compare later.” Weekly reading and viewing map.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: No new homework. Use the available school-week time to prepare Chapters 4–6, through p. 161, for Friday. The September 18 seminar reflection is also due Friday at 3:25 p.m.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: No work is due today. This is the first class after Yom Kippur for Sections 2 and 3.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
IN CLASS: Read, prepare for Friday’s seminar, and check in with Mr. Cutler. As you read Chapters 4–6, revisit notes on scenes your class has already watched. Compare one scene with a specific book passage, record the page, and explain a similarity or difference. For scenes you have not yet watched, turn a passage about courtship, dueling, Washington, or Yorktown into a question to watch for. Weekly reading and viewing map.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: For Friday, September 25: Finish Chapters 4–6, through p. 161. Submit the September 18 seminar reflection by 3:25 p.m. Friday.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: The reflection is not due today. This is Section 1’s first class after Yom Kippur and the second for Sections 2 and 3.
WHO MEETS: Section 1 only
IN CLASS: Use the full 50 minutes for viewing session 2 of Hamilton: The Musical, continuing from your class’s actual stopping point. Jot brief observations while watching. Use the Hamilton viewing and essay guide to develop your film-and-book comparisons during the already scheduled reading, seminar, and preparation activities. Open song notes to print or download a Word copy.
FILM + READING: Use Chapters 4–6 to compare scenes your class reaches about courtship, dueling, Hamilton’s break with Washington, and Yorktown. Work only with scenes you have watched. If the reading is ahead of the film, record a question to watch for; if the film is ahead, label your notes “Read and compare later.” Weekly reading and viewing map.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: For tomorrow: Finish Chapters 4–6, through p. 161, before the seminar. Submit your September 18 seminar reflection by 3:25 p.m. Friday.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: This is Section 1’s second class after Yom Kippur. No assignment is due today.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
DUE TODAY: Before class: Chapters 4–6, through p. 161, completed.
By 3:25 p.m. on Canvas: Submit the reflection for the September 18 seminar. Today’s seminar has a separate reflection due September 29.
IN CLASS: Seminar on Chapters 4–6, through p. 161, in Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary by Martha Brockenbrough. At the end of the seminar, choose a scene your class has watched about courtship, dueling, the break with Washington, or Yorktown. Find the biography’s account of the same event and record its exact page. Explain a similarity or difference and what a viewer would understand or misunderstand because of it. Use the Hamilton seminar checkpoints.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Due Tuesday, September 29, by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas: Complete the self-reflection for today’s Chapters 4–6 seminar.
HOLIDAY / DEADLINE NOTE: Sukkot begins at sundown. Observing students may arrange make-up times privately with Mr. Cutler, without loss of credit.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
IN CLASS: Simulation activity on the Articles of Confederation (Part 1).
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Due Monday, October 5, before class: Read Chapters 7–9, through p. 233, in Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary by Martha Brockenbrough.
Reminder: Your September 25 seminar reflection is due tomorrow, September 29, by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas.
WHO MEETS: Sections 2 and 3 only
DUE TODAY: ALL SECTIONS: September 25 seminar self-reflection by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas.
IN CLASS: Use the full 50 minutes for viewing session 3 of Hamilton: The Musical, continuing from your class’s actual stopping point. The goal is to finish the musical during this session. If any portion remains, record the stopping point for catch-up time the following week. Jot brief observations while watching. Use the Hamilton viewing and essay guide to develop your film-and-book comparisons during the already scheduled reading, seminar, and preparation activities. Open song notes to print or download a Word copy.
FILM + READING: Use Chapters 7–9 to compare Non-Stop, Cabinet Battle #1, and The Room Where It Happens once watched. Save notes about later politics, scandal, the election, the final duel, and Eliza’s legacy for Chapters 10–12 and the Epilogue, due October 13 for Sections 2–3 and October 14 for Section 1. The reading deadline does not change if viewing finishes first. Weekly reading and viewing map.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: No new homework. Continue Chapters 7–9, through p. 233, for the Monday, October 5 seminar.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
IN CLASS: Simulation activity on the Articles of Confederation (Part 2).
LEARNING FOCUS: Consider how the structure of the Confederation affected the new nation’s ability to govern.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: No new homework. Continue Chapters 7–9, through p. 233, for the Monday, October 5 seminar.
WHO MEETS: Section 1 only
IN CLASS: Use the full 50 minutes for viewing session 3 of Hamilton: The Musical, continuing from your class’s actual stopping point. The goal is to finish the musical during this session. If any portion remains, record the stopping point for catch-up time the following week. Jot brief observations while watching. Use the Hamilton viewing and essay guide to develop your film-and-book comparisons during the already scheduled reading, seminar, and preparation activities. Open song notes to print or download a Word copy.
FILM + READING: Use Chapters 7–9 to compare Non-Stop, Cabinet Battle #1, and The Room Where It Happens once watched. Save notes about later politics, scandal, the election, the final duel, and Eliza’s legacy for Chapters 10–12 and the Epilogue, due October 13 for Sections 2–3 and October 14 for Section 1. The reading deadline does not change if viewing finishes first. Weekly reading and viewing map.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: No new homework. Finish Chapters 7–9, through p. 233, before the seminar on Monday, October 5.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
IN CLASS: Use available time to finish any remaining portion of Hamilton, organize viewing notes, and prepare for Monday’s seminar. If viewing is complete, use the period to read and locate useful passages in Chapters 7–9. The Chapters 7–9 seminar has moved to Monday, October 5.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Finish Chapters 7–9, through p. 233, before class Monday, October 5. Prepare questions and specific passages for discussion.
HOLIDAY NOTE: Sukkot ends today. Observing students may arrange make-up times privately with Mr. Cutler, without loss of credit.
VIEWING CATCH-UP: If any portion of the musical remains after October 2, use available time after scheduled activities. Keep both simulation parts, the seminar, and the practice paragraph on the revised section-specific dates below.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
DUE TODAY: All sections: Chapters 7–9, through p. 233, completed before the seminar.
IN CLASS: Seminar on Chapters 7–9, through p. 233, in Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary by Martha Brockenbrough. At the end of the seminar, choose a scene your class has watched about slavery and compromise, The Federalist, public debt, or the capital bargain. Find the biography’s account of the same event and record its exact page. Explain a similarity or difference and what a viewer would understand or misunderstand because of it. Use the Hamilton seminar checkpoints.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Due Wednesday, October 7, by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas: Complete today’s seminar self-reflection. Read Chapters 10–12 and the Epilogue, through p. 317, for the final seminar. Sections 2–3: Tuesday, October 13. Section 1: Wednesday, October 14.
WHO MEETS: Sections 2 and 3 only
IN CLASS: Begin A Constitution in the Balance, Part 1. Debate the Virginia and New Jersey Plans, the Great Compromise, the Three-Fifths Compromise, commerce and the slave trade, the presidency and Electoral College, federalism, checks and balances, and the amendment process. Read short sources, discuss the alternatives, take a class vote, and compare your reasoning with the historical outcome.
Open Part 1: The Constitutional Convention: Compromises and Structure
Opens in a new tab. Public access; no login required. Whole-class simulation · 50 minutes · 10 decisions.
LEARNING FOCUS: Explain which problem each compromise addressed, how the proposed government worked, and whose interests and rights the settlement excluded.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Continue Chapters 10–12 and the Epilogue, through p. 317, for your final seminar. Sections 2–3: Tuesday, October 13. Section 1: Wednesday, October 14. All sections: The October 5 seminar reflection is due tomorrow, October 7, by 3:25 p.m.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
DUE TODAY: ALL SECTIONS: October 5 seminar self-reflection by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas.
IN CLASS: Section 1: Begin A Constitution in the Balance, Part 1. Debate the Virginia and New Jersey Plans, the Great Compromise, the Three-Fifths Compromise, commerce and the slave trade, the presidency and Electoral College, federalism, checks and balances, and the amendment process. Read short sources, discuss the alternatives, take a class vote, and compare your reasoning with the historical outcome.
Open Part 1: The Constitutional Convention: Compromises and Structure
Opens in a new tab. Public access; no login required. Whole-class simulation · 50 minutes · 10 decisions.
IN CLASS: Sections 2–3: Complete A Constitution in the Balance, Part 2. Move from the Convention to the state ratification debates. Compare Federalist and Anti-Federalist arguments, including Brutus I and Federalist Nos. 10, 51, 70, and 78; evaluate demands for a bill of rights; and defend a final ratification position with evidence. The Federalist Papers followed the Convention; the Bill of Rights followed ratification.
Open Part 2: Ratification: Federalists, Anti-Federalists, and The Federalist Papers
Opens in a new tab. Public access; no login required. Whole-class simulation · 50 minutes · 10 decisions.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Continue Chapters 10–12 and the Epilogue, through p. 317, for your final seminar. Sections 2–3: Tuesday, October 13. Section 1: Wednesday, October 14. Keep your simulation notes; Section 1 completes Part 2 on Friday.
WHO MEETS: Section 1 only
IN CLASS: Review the essay prompt. Choose a watched film scene and a matching book passage. Write a short practice paragraph explaining a similarity or difference, with the passage and its page as evidence. Exchange paragraphs with a partner and identify the film detail, book evidence, and explanation. Ask: “Which sentence actually makes an argument?” Revise with the practice activity in the Hamilton guide. Write by hand unless you have a laptop accommodation.
LEARNING FOCUS: Build a historical argument from a specific comparison and explain the effect of the portrayal.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Continue Chapters 10–12 and the Epilogue, through p. 317, for your final seminar. Sections 2–3: Tuesday, October 13. Section 1: Wednesday, October 14. Section 1 completes simulation Part 2 tomorrow.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
IN CLASS: Section 1: Complete A Constitution in the Balance, Part 2. Move from the Convention to the state ratification debates. Compare Federalist and Anti-Federalist arguments, including Brutus I and Federalist Nos. 10, 51, 70, and 78; evaluate demands for a bill of rights; and defend a final ratification position with evidence. The Federalist Papers followed the Convention; the Bill of Rights followed ratification.
Open Part 2: Ratification: Federalists, Anti-Federalists, and The Federalist Papers
Opens in a new tab. Public access; no login required. Whole-class simulation · 50 minutes · 10 decisions.
IN CLASS: Sections 2–3: Review the essay prompt. Choose a watched film scene and a matching book passage. Write a short practice paragraph explaining a similarity or difference, with the passage and its page as evidence. Exchange paragraphs with a partner and identify the film detail, book evidence, and explanation. Ask: “Which sentence actually makes an argument?” Revise with the practice activity in the Hamilton guide. Write by hand unless you have a laptop accommodation.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Continue Chapters 10–12 and the Epilogue, through p. 317, for your final seminar. Sections 2–3: Tuesday, October 13. Section 1: Wednesday, October 14. No school Monday, October 12. Review the essay materials and your section’s revised writing dates.
Monday, October 12 — NO CLASS / ALL SECTIONS. Indigenous Peoples’ Day. No new homework assigned. Follow the preparation listed on October 9.
WHO MEETS: Sections 2 and 3 only
DUE TODAY: Sections 2–3: Chapters 10–12 and the Epilogue, through p. 317, completed before the seminar.
IN CLASS: Seminar on Chapters 10–12 and the Epilogue, through p. 317, in Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary. Compare a watched scene about neutrality, the scandal, the election, the final duel, or Eliza’s legacy with a specific biography passage. Record its exact page and explain what a viewer would understand or misunderstand. Use the Hamilton seminar checkpoints. Then choose your strongest essay evidence: one accuracy and one meaningful difference, with a clear explanation of what each shows.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: Due Friday, October 16, by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas: Complete the final seminar self-reflection. Sections 2–3 begin the essay tomorrow, October 14. Update DigiExam and bring a charged computer, your movie notes, and the biography. Section 1 completes the final seminar tomorrow.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
DUE TODAY: Section 1: Chapters 10–12 and the Epilogue, through p. 317, completed before the seminar. Sections 2–3: Bring a charged computer with DigiExam ready, your movie notes, and the biography.
IN CLASS: Section 1: Seminar on Chapters 10–12 and the Epilogue, through p. 317, in Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary. Compare a watched scene about neutrality, the scandal, the election, the final duel, or Eliza’s legacy with a specific biography passage. Record its exact page and explain what a viewer would understand or misunderstand. Use the Hamilton seminar checkpoints. Then choose your strongest essay evidence: one accuracy and one meaningful difference, with a clear explanation of what each shows.
Sections 2–3: Essay period 1 of 2. Write and revise the in-class essay in DigiExam. You may use your own movie notes and Brockenbrough’s biography; have both ready for Mr. Cutler to check. All drafting and revision take place in class.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: All sections: Final seminar self-reflection due Friday, October 16, by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas. Section 1 begins the essay tomorrow; arrive with DigiExam updated and a charged computer. Sections 2–3 continue the essay Friday. Between writing periods, reread the biography and review your movie notes; all essay drafting and revision remain in class.
WHO MEETS: Section 1 only
DUE TODAY: Section 1: Bring a charged computer with DigiExam ready, your movie notes, and the biography.
IN CLASS: Section 1 begins essay period 1 of 2. Write and revise the in-class essay in DigiExam. You may use your own movie notes and Brockenbrough’s biography; have both ready for Mr. Cutler to check. All drafting and revision take place in class.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: All sections complete essay period 2 tomorrow. The final seminar reflection is also due Friday, October 16, by 3:25 p.m. on Canvas. Between writing periods, review the biography and movie notes; do not draft or revise the essay outside class.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
DUE TODAY: All sections: Complete the essay during today’s second writing period. Bring a charged computer, movie notes, and the biography. By 3:25 p.m. on Canvas: Submit the final seminar self-reflection.
IN CLASS: All sections complete essay period 2 of 2. Write and revise the in-class essay in DigiExam. You may use your own movie notes and Brockenbrough’s biography; have both ready for Mr. Cutler to check. All drafting and revision take place in class.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: No new homework. Complete the essay self-assessment in class Monday, October 19.
WHO MEETS: Sections 1, 2, and 3
DUE TODAY: During class: Complete the essay self-assessment and arrange your individual meeting.
IN CLASS: Complete the Self-Assessment Rubric embedded at the end of this assignment sheet. Arrange a time with Mr. Cutler for your one-on-one meeting.
HOMEWORK / PREPARATION: No additional homework listed.
This assignment sheet is subject to change. Check Canvas for updates.
Hamilton: An American Musical is how most Americans now meet Alexander Hamilton — but the foreword of our book warns that “During his life and afterward, people misrepresented much of what he did and believed.” Answer this question:
Is the musical a responsible way to learn Hamilton’s history, or does it mislead its audience?
Take a clear position and support it with the book. In your essay:
Use at least two specific examples from the book (a person, event, or quotation). Remember: you are judging the musical as history, not as entertainment.
We will meet to discuss your in-class essay, which requires you to complete this self-assessment. Complete the assigned rubric in class on October 19.
Compare the filmed musical Hamilton with Martha Brockenbrough’s Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary. Build evidence for your in-class essay, one viewing segment at a time.
Take notes by hand in your notebook or on the printable note sheet unless you have a laptop accommodation. Students with laptop accommodations may type their notes. Keep your own notes during partner work.
You do not need to closely assess every song, answer every prompt, or fill every space. Choose a few promising scenes. Print only the pages you need.
Open printable notes (PDF) Download editable notes (Word)
Open the shared Hamilton Viewing Notes document. You can also print or download a Word copy from that document.
The scene menu below uses the same song numbers and core prompts as this handout, with additional guidance beside the matching songs. If a scene comes before your reading, write “Read and compare later.”
Your original Self-Assessment Rubric is at the end of this assignment sheet. Complete it in class after the essay on October 19.
Essay materials: During the essay, you may use your own notes about the musical and Brockenbrough’s biography. Have both ready for Mr. Cutler to check. All students will write the essay in DigiExam.
Start here: Read the essay question, try the opening activity, and choose one scene to watch for. Our viewing plan is one 35-minute opening session followed by two full 50-minute sessions. All sections have completed only the opening 35 minutes. We aim to finish in session 3, with catch-up time available the following week after scheduled activities if needed. You do not need to analyze every scene on this page.
Seeing a scene before reading about it is okay. It is okay to see a scene before you reach that part of the biography. Take movie notes now, label them “Read and compare later,” and return to them when you read the relevant chapters. You do not need to read ahead.
Jump to: Get started · Printouts · How to compare · Viewing routine · Weekly reading and viewing · Seminar checkpoints · Choose scenes / handout prompts · Songs and lyrics · October 8/9 practice · Writing help · Book pages · Essay check · Self-assessment rubric
A question you could ask: “The biography explains why Hamilton left Washington’s staff. Does the film give the same reason, and who seems responsible?”
Choose one scene. Find the biography’s account of the same person or event. Record the chapter and exact page. Explain what the two versions agree on or present differently, and what a viewer would understand or misunderstand because of that portrayal.
In “Meet Me Inside,” Washington sends Hamilton home. Chapter 6 describes Hamilton choosing to quit after a rebuke. Find that passage and record its page. Then explain how the musical changes who seems responsible for the separation. The writing model shows how to develop this comparison.
Open song notes to print or download a Word copy. Take brief film notes during viewing; add the biography passage and explanation when you reach that reading.
The full 50 minutes in sessions 2 and 3 are viewing time. Take brief notes while watching; develop comparisons during the already scheduled reading, seminar, and preparation activities. Aim for about six useful comparisons across the whole film so you have choices for the essay. An accuracy and a difference do not have to appear in every session.
| Part of your note | What to record |
|---|---|
| Film | Name the scene and describe one specific claim or impression. |
| Book | Record the matching event, action, or short quotation, with chapter and exact page. |
| Same or different? | Explain an accuracy, change, or omission. If you have not read the matching passage, label the note “Read and compare later.” |
| Why it matters | Explain what a viewer would understand or misunderstand because of that portrayal. |
Keep it simple: Use these four labels in your notebook. Short phrases work during the film; develop the book evidence and explanation afterward. If a passage lies ahead of your reading, mark it for later.
One observation of your own: As part of your preparation notes, add at least one observation of your own that is not already in the scene menu. You may use a provided example in the essay after finding the relevant passage in the biography and explaining the comparison in your own words.
It is okay to see a scene before you reach that part of the biography. Take movie notes now, label them “Read and compare later,” and return to them when you read the relevant chapters. You do not need to read ahead.
Use the weekly map to decide when to compare a scene with the book. Scene ranges are approximate: your class’s actual stopping point controls. Work with scenes you have watched. If the book is ahead of the film, turn a passage into a question to watch for.
| Reading period and seminar deadline | Viewing in class | Compare with the book now / return later |
|---|---|---|
| September 14–18. Foreword and Chapters 1–3; finish through p. 73 by September 18. | Session 1: first 35 minutes. All three sections have watched only this opening portion. Sections 2–3 began September 15; Section 1 began September 16. Opening-segment discussion and comparison follow. | COMPARE THIS WEEK: Compare the opening and hurricane writing with ch. 1; Farmer Refuted and Washington’s invitation in Right Hand Man with ch. 3. RETURN LATER: Save courtship, the Laurens–Lee duel, Hamilton’s break with Washington, and Yorktown for Chapters 4–6 on September 25.
Use only scenes your class has watched. If the reading is ahead of the film, record a question and return to the comparison after viewing. |
| September 21–25. Chapters 4–6; finish through p. 161 by September 25. | Session 2: full 50 minutes. Sections 2–3: September 22. Section 1: September 24. Continue from the end of the first 35 minutes, using the full session for viewing. | COMPARE THIS WEEK: Compare Helpless / Satisfied with chs. 4–5; Ten Duel Commandments with ch. 5; Meet Me Inside / Yorktown with ch. 6; and Right Hand Man’s staff-work details with ch. 4. RETURN LATER: Save Non-Stop (ch. 8), Cabinet Battle #1 (chs. 7 and 9), and The Room Where It Happens (ch. 9) for the October 5 seminar, once watched.
Use only scenes your class has watched. If the reading is ahead of the film, record a question and return to the comparison after viewing. |
| September 28–October 5. Chapters 7–9; finish through p. 233 by October 5. | Session 3: full 50 minutes; planned completion. Sections 2–3: September 29. Section 1: October 1. Continue from the previous stopping point, with the goal of finishing the musical. | COMPARE THIS WEEK: Return to Non-Stop (ch. 8), Cabinet Battle #1 (chs. 7 and 9), and The Room Where It Happens (ch. 9). Connect the financial debates to actual policies. RETURN LATER: Save neutrality, the Reynolds affair and its aftermath, the election, the final duel, and Eliza’s legacy for October 13 (Sections 2–3) or October 14 (Section 1) (chs. 10–12 and Epilogue).
Use only scenes your class has watched. If the reading is ahead of the film, record a question and return to the comparison after viewing. |
| October 5–14. Chapters 10–12 and Epilogue; finish through p. 317 by October 13 for Sections 2–3 or October 14 for Section 1. | Catch-up only if needed. Use available time after the scheduled activities to finish any remaining portion. Convention and ratification simulation: Sections 2–3, October 6 and 7; Section 1, October 7 and 9. Paragraph practice: Section 1, October 8; Sections 2–3, October 9. Final seminar and evidence selection: Sections 2–3, October 13; Section 1, October 14. | COMPARE THIS WEEK: Compare Cabinet Battle #2 / We Know with ch. 10; One Last Time, the pamphlet, Philip, and the election with ch. 11; the final duel with ch. 12; and the finale with the Epilogue. PREPARE FOR THE ESSAY: For October 8 (Section 1) or October 9 (Sections 2–3), use a scene and book passage you have already compared. At your October 13 or 14 seminar, choose your strongest accuracy and difference. Use final scenes only after your class watches them. |
Use the map, then choose: Make one useful comparison after each seminar. You do not need every comparison listed. A scene may have some evidence in one chapter and more context in a later chapter.
At the end of each Hamilton seminar, choose one scene you have watched and a passage from the chapters just completed. Record the chapter and exact page, explain a similarity or difference, and describe what it helps a viewer understand or could lead a viewer to misunderstand. Keep this work in your preparation notes.
| After the seminar | Reading and comparisons to revisit |
|---|---|
| September 18 | Foreword and Chapters 1–3, through p. 73. Early life, writing, Seabury, and joining Washington’s staff. |
| September 25 | Chapters 4–6, through p. 161. Courtship, dueling, the break with Washington, and Yorktown. |
| October 5 | Chapters 7–9, through p. 233. Slavery and compromise, The Federalist, debt, and the capital bargain. |
| October 13: Sections 2–3 October 14: Section 1 |
Chapters 10–12 and Epilogue, through p. 317. Neutrality, the scandal, the election, the final duel, and Eliza’s legacy. |
The page numbers above mark reading endpoints. Locate and record the exact page of each passage you use.
Choose a few useful scenes. You do not need to closely assess every song, answer every prompt, or fill every space. Take brief notes during the film, then develop the comparisons that best support your essay.
This menu matches your notes handout: the 47 numbers, film focuses, book starting points, and possible comparisons follow the same order and wording. Expanded examples and additional questions are included with the matching song. They are options for investigating a scene, not extra assignments.
Open a song below, or use the printable PDF or editable Word notes. Each entry links to its handout page. Write by hand unless you have a laptop accommodation.
If you want a starting point: try 1. Alexander Hamilton for an accuracy; 16. Meet Me Inside or 36. We Know for a change; 26. Cabinet Battle #1 for missing context; or 47. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story for historical memory. These include worked interpretations. Find the relevant book passage and explain your own reasoning.
Watching ahead is okay. Write “Read and compare later” until you reach the relevant chapter. You do not need to read ahead. The teacher’s actual stopping points determine the viewing sessions; this menu does not assign songs to fixed sessions.
Act I: Early scenes and the Revolution · Act II: Government, conflict, and remembrance
Film focus: Notice how the opening connects childhood hardship, the hurricane letter, and an opportunity to study.
Book starting point: Chapter 1.
Possible comparison: Find the letter and the education fund. What does the comparison show about his talent and the people who helped him?
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: The opening links Hamilton’s hurricane writing to support for his education.
Book — Chapter 1: His hurricane letter drew attention, and a scholarship fund helped him continue his education in North America.
Worked interpretation: Supported accuracy: writing helped create an opportunity. Explain both his talent and the support of others; avoid making his rise seem entirely self-made.
Open handout page 2 · Lyrics: PDF page 1 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice how the show introduces Burr, Mulligan, Laurens, and Lafayette around Hamilton.
Book starting point: Chapters 2 and 3.
Possible comparison: Track when and how Hamilton meets important people. Does grouping introductions together affect the impression of his rise?
Film focus: Listen for Hamilton’s ambition and his reasons for joining the revolutionary cause.
Book starting point: Chapters 1 through 3.
Possible comparison: Compare his desire for opportunity with his education, early writing, and political awakening. Which details support or complicate the portrait?
Film focus: Notice the connection between friendship, sacrifice, and hopes for the future.
Book starting point: Chapters 3 and 5.
Possible comparison: Look at Hamilton’s wartime friendships and the risks the men accept. Choose one documented action that tests this shared ideal.
Film focus: Notice which sister expresses political ideas and how the show presents women’s participation.
Book starting point: Chapters 4 and 5; Epilogue.
Possible comparison: Find a documented action by a Schuyler sister. How does the film’s portrait compare with her opportunities and work in the book?
Film focus: Notice how the disagreement with Samuel Seabury becomes a public exchange.
Book starting point: Chapter 3.
Possible comparison: Find Hamilton’s pamphlet response. Separate the historical political argument from the way the show stages that argument.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Hamilton argues with the Loyalist Samuel Seabury.
Book — Chapter 3: Hamilton answered Seabury in an anonymous pamphlet, A Full Vindication, defending government by consent.
Consider: What is accurate about their disagreement? Does turning a written debate into a face-to-face exchange change the argument or mainly its presentation?
Open handout page 4 · Lyrics: PDF page 21 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice how King George describes authority, loyalty, and the colonists’ resistance.
Book starting point: Chapters 2 and 3 for political context.
Possible comparison: Use colonial grievances and Loyalist arguments as context. Treat the staged monologue as a portrayal to evaluate, not a recorded speech.
Film focus: Notice why Washington values Hamilton and how Hamilton responds to a staff position.
Book starting point: Chapters 3 and 4.
Possible comparison: Find Washington’s invitation and examples of Hamilton’s duties. What does the song reveal about his usefulness, and what work is less visible?
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Washington recruits Hamilton as an aide.
Book — Chapters 3 and 4: Hamilton accepted a staff position despite wanting battlefield glory. His work included correspondence, supplies, and difficult military assignments.
Consider: What does the musical help you understand about why Washington valued him? What important work becomes less visible when the story moves quickly?
Open handout page 5 · Lyrics: PDF page 25 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice how the men discuss courtship, wealth, status, and the Schuyler family.
Book starting point: Chapters 4 and 5.
Possible comparison: Look at the family’s circumstances and Hamilton’s courtship. Does the portrayal support a specific historical claim, or mainly establish an attitude?
Film focus: Notice the setting, introductions, and sequence of Eliza and Hamilton’s relationship.
Book starting point: Chapters 4 and 5.
Possible comparison: Compare their earlier meeting, courtship, and wedding in the book. Decide whether a changed detail affects the historical impression.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Eliza and Angelica offer different perspectives on meeting Hamilton.
Book — Chapters 4 and 5: Chapter 4 includes an earlier meeting with Eliza at the Schuyler home; Chapter 5 develops their courtship and wedding.
Consider: Compare the setting and sequence of the relationship. Which details can the biography establish, and which private thoughts are the musical imagining?
Open handout page 6 · Lyrics: PDF page 34 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice how Angelica retells the meeting and explains her choices.
Book starting point: Chapters 4 and 5; family tree in the back matter.
Possible comparison: Compare the family relationships and circumstances. Distinguish facts the book establishes from private thoughts the show imagines.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Eliza and Angelica offer different perspectives on meeting Hamilton.
Book — Chapters 4 and 5: Chapter 4 includes an earlier meeting with Eliza at the Schuyler home; Chapter 5 develops their courtship and wedding.
Consider: Compare the setting and sequence of the relationship. Which details can the biography establish, and which private thoughts are the musical imagining?
Open handout page 7 · Lyrics: PDF page 38 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice how the wedding celebration presents friendship and Burr’s personal life.
Book starting point: Chapters 5 and 12; Epilogue for Burr.
Possible comparison: Use the courtship account and the book’s portraits of Burr. Which claim could you support with an action, letter, or family detail?
Film focus: Notice the contrast between Burr’s caution and Hamilton’s drive.
Book starting point: Chapter 12; Epilogue for Burr.
Possible comparison: Use a specific decision by Burr to test this characterization. A song about inner feelings needs evidence beyond the feelings it asserts.
Film focus: Notice the army’s difficulties, Charles Lee’s conduct, and Hamilton’s desire for command.
Book starting point: Chapters 4 and 5.
Possible comparison: Compare the account of Monmouth and Lee’s court-martial. What causes the dispute, and which military responsibilities does the scene emphasize?
Film focus: Notice the seconds, attempts to settle the dispute, and the outcome of the Laurens–Lee duel.
Book starting point: Chapter 5; dueling section in the back matter.
Possible comparison: Find the book’s account of the duel. Choose one rule or action to explain what honor meant and how violence was managed.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Laurens duels Lee, with Hamilton serving as Laurens’s second.
Book — Chapter 5: The duel involved rules and negotiation. Lee was wounded, and the seconds helped bring the dispute to an end.
Consider: Does the scene explain what dueling was supposed to accomplish? Use a specific rule or action to evaluate its portrayal of honor.
Open handout page 9 · Lyrics: PDF page 56 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice what seems to cause Hamilton’s separation from Washington and who directs it.
Book starting point: Chapter 6.
Possible comparison: Find the rebuke, Hamilton’s response, and the attempted reconciliation. How does the comparison affect responsibility for the break?
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: After the Laurens–Lee duel, Washington orders Hamilton home following an argument.
Book — Chapter 6: Hamilton quit after Washington rebuked him for a delay and rejected an early attempt at reconciliation.
Worked interpretation: Changed cause and responsibility: the scene makes Washington direct the separation. Explain how this could obscure Hamilton’s own decision to leave and his desire for independence.
Open handout page 9 · Lyrics: PDF page 59 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice the priorities Eliza expresses and the pressure of Hamilton’s ambitions.
Book starting point: Chapters 5 and 6.
Possible comparison: Compare their letters, marriage, and early family life. Separate documented circumstances from the scene’s imagined private conversation.
Film focus: Notice Lafayette’s role and the importance of French support to the war effort.
Book starting point: Chapters 4 and 6.
Possible comparison: Find evidence about the alliance, French forces, and the Yorktown campaign. How much credit does each version give to international cooperation?
Film focus: Notice how Washington connects command with responsibility and remembrance.
Book starting point: Chapters 3, 4, and 6 for Washington’s leadership.
Possible comparison: Choose a documented leadership decision to test the portrait. Do not treat every line of the staged advice as a historical quotation.
Film focus: Notice Hamilton’s command, the attack, and the contributions of other people and forces.
Book starting point: Chapter 6.
Possible comparison: Find the assault on Redoubt 10, its tactics, and the treatment of prisoners. Choose one detail to explain the portrayal of victory.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Hamilton commands an attack at Yorktown.
Book — Chapter 6: He led the assault on Redoubt 10 with unloaded muskets. The chapter also explains French support and his treatment of prisoners.
Consider: Choose one detail of the attack and compare it with the biography. Does the film preserve the balance between Hamilton’s achievement and the contributions of other people?
Open handout page 11 · Lyrics: PDF page 68 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice the challenge King George raises about governing a new country.
Book starting point: Chapters 7 and 8 for governing after independence.
Possible comparison: Compare that challenge with the problems under the Articles of Confederation. Evaluate the historical issue without treating the monologue as testimony.
Film focus: Notice the parallel hopes Hamilton and Burr express as fathers.
Book starting point: Chapters 6, 7, and 12; Epilogue.
Possible comparison: Find evidence of their relationships with their children. What does this similarity add to a story usually organized around their rivalry?
Film focus: In this Laurens interlude, notice the news of his death and Hamilton’s response.
Book starting point: Chapters 5 and 7.
Possible comparison: Return to Laurens’s military and antislavery work. What might a viewer miss about his goals if this scene becomes only a moment of grief?
Open handout page 13 · Use the film for the Laurens interlude; it is not included in this lyrics PDF or on the cast album.
Film focus: Notice how the song combines law, constitutional debate, writing, and government service.
Book starting point: Chapters 7 through 9; Chapter 11 for the murder trial.
Possible comparison: Choose one claim about The Federalist or one event’s timing. Compare the book’s sequence and evidence before judging the effect of compression.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: The song emphasizes Hamilton’s role in The Federalist.
Book — Chapter 8: Hamilton recruited Madison and Jay and wrote fifty-one essays. The chapter also describes his convention proposals and the difficult ratification fight.
Consider: Compare the song’s account of his writing with the book, or ask what viewers miss about disagreement over the Constitution. Choose one focused claim rather than the whole song.
Open handout page 13 · Lyrics: PDF page 76 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice how Jefferson’s return introduces different priorities and a new political rivalry.
Book starting point: Chapters 9 and 10.
Possible comparison: Find the policy disagreements among Jefferson, Madison, and Hamilton. Does the scene help explain their ideas as well as their personalities?
Film focus: Notice the arguments over debt and Hamilton’s criticism of Jefferson’s reliance on enslaved labor.
Book starting point: Chapter 9; Chapters 1 and 7 for slavery.
Possible comparison: Choose either the financial argument or Hamilton’s own conduct toward slavery. What book evidence supports or complicates the impression?
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Hamilton criticizes Jefferson’s reliance on enslaved labor.
Book — Chapters 1, 7, and 9: Chapter 1 describes Alexander and his brother as masters of Ajax, an enslaved boy. Chapter 7 pairs antislavery activity with help negotiating purchases of enslaved people for his in-laws.
Worked interpretation: Missing context: compare his criticism with his own involvement and compromises. The film mentions slavery; investigate how fully it presents Hamilton’s conduct.
Another option: use Chapter 9 to compare the scene’s argument over public debt with Hamilton’s actual financial reasoning.
Open handout page 14 · Lyrics: PDF page 89 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice the tension between public work and attention to family, including the exchange of letters.
Book starting point: Chapters 5, 10, and 11 for family relationships.
Possible comparison: Find a letter or family event that bears on these priorities. Separate evidence about relationships from the show’s invented private exchanges.
Film focus: Notice how Hamilton narrates the affair and how the scene presents his choices and the payments.
Book starting point: End of Chapter 9 and Chapter 10.
Possible comparison: Find the account of Maria and James Reynolds. How might the narrator’s explanation affect a viewer’s judgment of responsibility?
Film focus: Notice what the capital-and-debt bargain involves and how Burr views access to power.
Book starting point: Chapter 9.
Possible comparison: Identify what each side gained. Does the scene make the policy compromise clear, or does its emphasis leave important reasoning unexplained?
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: A private bargain links Hamilton, Jefferson, and Madison.
Book — Chapter 9: The dinner bargain joined support for federal assumption of state debts with locating the capital on the Potomac.
Consider: Can you explain what each side gained? Does the scene help viewers understand the policy compromise as well as the appeal of being politically influential?
Open handout page 16 · Lyrics: PDF page 104 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice how an electoral defeat becomes a personal dispute between Hamilton and Burr.
Book starting point: Use the index for Philip Schuyler and Aaron Burr; Chapters 9 and 11 for context.
Possible comparison: Find the Senate contest if covered in your edition. Use the broader rivalry as context; do not claim a direct match without locating a passage.
Film focus: Notice the opposing arguments about France and Washington’s decision.
Book starting point: Chapter 10.
Possible comparison: Find the neutrality debate and Citizen Genêt episode. Which practical reasons for the decision appear clearly, and which need more context?
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Hamilton and Jefferson clash over aiding France.
Book — Chapter 10: The chapter explains Washington’s neutrality policy, Hamilton’s advice, and the trouble caused by French ambassador Citizen Genêt.
Consider: Compare the reasons for neutrality with the scene’s arguments. What context helps explain the decision beyond the personal rivalry?
Open handout page 17 · Lyrics: PDF page 115 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice how the song groups Hamilton’s opponents and portrays his access to Washington.
Book starting point: Chapters 9 through 11.
Possible comparison: Compare specific alliances, policy disputes, and investigations. Does presenting opponents together simplify their changing relationships?
Film focus: Notice Hamilton’s writing role and Washington’s reasons for stepping away from office.
Book starting point: Chapter 11; Epilogue.
Possible comparison: Find the Farewell Address account and Eliza’s later work for recognition. Distinguish the documented contribution from the imagined conversation.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Hamilton helps Washington prepare his Farewell Address.
Book — Chapter 11: Hamilton drafted the address, and Eliza later worked to secure recognition for his contribution.
Consider: How does this agreement show Hamilton’s influence beyond holding office? Distinguish his documented writing role from the scene’s imagined conversation.
Open handout page 18 · Lyrics: PDF page 121 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice what King George’s reaction suggests about replacing Washington.
Book starting point: Chapters 9 and 11 for presidential transitions.
Possible comparison: Compare the actual transition to Adams and the political tensions. Evaluate the portrait of succession without assuming the king’s reaction is documented.
Film focus: Notice how quickly the show explains Hamilton’s relationship with Adams and his public position.
Book starting point: Chapters 10 and 11.
Possible comparison: Compare when and why Hamilton left the Treasury with the later Adams conflict. Would a viewer understand the sequence and his role correctly?
Film focus: Notice who confronts Hamilton, what the accusation is, and how he explains the payments.
Book starting point: Chapter 10.
Possible comparison: Find the names and evidence in the biography. How would a change in participants affect the impression of who drove the confrontation?
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Jefferson, Madison, and Burr confront Hamilton about suspicious payments.
Book — Chapter 10: Muhlenberg, Venable, and Monroe confronted him. He explained the payments by admitting the affair.
Worked interpretation: Changed participants: familiar rivals replace the actual interviewers. A viewer may interpret the encounter as a coordinated attack by the same enemies seen throughout the show.
Open handout page 19 · Lyrics: PDF page 127 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice how Hamilton uses his earlier success with writing to justify another public statement.
Book starting point: Chapters 1 and 11.
Possible comparison: Compare the hurricane letter with the decision to publish the affair. Does the pattern clarify his thinking or risk excusing his choice?
Film focus: Notice what Hamilton discloses, what accusation he answers, and whose reactions are emphasized.
Book starting point: Chapter 11.
Possible comparison: Find his stated purpose and the consequences for his family and reputation. Explain why accuracy about the reason for publishing matters.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: A public confession is followed by Eliza’s angry response.
Book — Chapter 11: Hamilton published the affair to refute corruption charges. The chapter describes the harm to Eliza and her anger at his critics.
Consider: You could examine his reason for publishing or the portrayal of Eliza. What can the book establish about her actions? Do not assume her private thoughts or the staged burning are documented facts.
Open handout page 20 · Lyrics: PDF page 132 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice what the scene asks the audience to believe about Eliza’s response and the historical record.
Book starting point: Chapter 11; Epilogue for Eliza’s later actions.
Possible comparison: Find what the biography can establish about her actions. Do not assume the staged burning or each private thought is a documented event.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: A public confession is followed by Eliza’s angry response.
Book — Chapter 11: Hamilton published the affair to refute corruption charges. The chapter describes the harm to Eliza and her anger at his critics.
Consider: You could examine his reason for publishing or the portrayal of Eliza. What can the book establish about her actions? Do not assume her private thoughts or the staged burning are documented facts.
Open handout page 21 · Lyrics: PDF page 136 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice Philip’s reasons for confronting Eacker and the advice his father gives him.
Book starting point: Chapter 11.
Possible comparison: Compare the advice and outcome with the book. How does the scene explain the relationship between family reputation and personal danger?
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Philip challenges Eacker, and Hamilton advises his son before the duel.
Book — Chapter 11: Philip defended his father’s honor, followed advice to throw away his shot, and suffered a fatal wound.
Consider: Compare the advice and the result. Does the musical help viewers understand how protecting a reputation could endanger a life?
Open handout page 21 · Lyrics: PDF page 138 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice the details emphasized as Philip’s parents respond to his wound.
Book starting point: Chapter 11.
Possible comparison: Find the account of his death. Use one concrete detail to assess the portrayal, and distinguish private words from documented events.
Film focus: Notice how grief, family life, and reconciliation become the focus.
Book starting point: Chapters 11 and 12.
Possible comparison: Compare the family’s losses and life at the Grange. Which actions are supported, and which emotional developments are the show interpreting?
Film focus: Notice why Hamilton favors Jefferson and how the show presents the result and its timing.
Book starting point: Chapter 11.
Possible comparison: Find the electoral tie, House ballots, and Hamilton’s reasoning. Also compare the election’s date with Philip’s death before assessing the sequence.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Hamilton supports Jefferson over Burr.
Book — Chapter 11: Hamilton preferred Jefferson because he believed Jefferson had principles. The House decided the electoral tie after repeated ballots.
Consider: Does the scene explain Hamilton’s reasoning and the role of other decision-makers? Also compare the film’s placement of Philip’s death with the book’s sequence; find the dates in the biography before judging the effect.
Open handout page 23 · Lyrics: PDF page 148 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice what Burr demands and how the exchange makes compromise harder.
Book starting point: Chapter 12.
Possible comparison: Find the letters and the immediate dispute. What might a viewer misunderstand if the duel seems to follow from only one earlier political event?
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Letters and a final duel bring the rivalry to its end.
Book — Chapter 12: Hamilton weighed moral objections, family obligations, reputation, and his stated intention to waste his shot.
Consider: What motives and pressures does each version emphasize? Separate evidence of his intended action from certainty about every movement or private thought during the duel.
Open handout page 23 · Lyrics: PDF page 155 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice the family obligations placed beside Hamilton’s preparations for the duel.
Book starting point: Chapter 12.
Possible comparison: Compare his farewell letters and final family time. Separate evidence of his concern for Eliza from certainty about the staged conversation.
Film focus: Notice how the final duel presents intention, action, and Burr’s response.
Book starting point: Chapter 12; Epilogue for Burr.
Possible comparison: Compare Hamilton’s stated plans with the account of the encounter. Explain what the evidence supports without claiming access to every private thought.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: Letters and a final duel bring the rivalry to its end.
Book — Chapter 12: Hamilton weighed moral objections, family obligations, reputation, and his stated intention to waste his shot.
Consider: What motives and pressures does each version emphasize? Separate evidence of his intended action from certainty about every movement or private thought during the duel.
Open handout page 24 · Lyrics: PDF page 159 · Listen on Spotify
Film focus: Notice whose work receives attention after Hamilton’s death and how a reputation is preserved.
Book starting point: Epilogue; Foreword.
Possible comparison: Find Eliza’s work with papers, public recognition, and the orphanage. Use one action to consider the musical’s value for keeping history alive.
More guidance for this scene — optional
Scene detail: The finale foregrounds Eliza’s work after Hamilton’s death.
Book — Epilogue: She organized his papers, sought recognition for his work, and helped found an orphanage.
Worked interpretation: Supported accuracy and legacy: the show draws attention to the work that preserves a reputation. Use this connection to evaluate its value for keeping history alive.
Open handout page 25 · Lyrics: PDF page 164 · Listen on Spotify
Each “Read lyrics” link opens a PDF with the words to the musical numbers, at the song’s starting page. These are lyrics PDF pages, not biography pages. Use the film you watched for stage actions and who appears in a scene.
Complete lyrics PDF: Act I — PDF page 1 · Act II — PDF page 85.
If the PDF opens at page 1, enter the listed page in the PDF viewer or search for the song title. Use the viewer’s page counter; printed page numbers restart in Act II. Spotify may offer a preview or ask you to sign in for full playback.
For other numbers, use the complete song index and recording links and search the lyrics PDF by title. “My Shot” begins on PDF page 8.
Section 1: Thursday, October 8. Sections 2–3: Friday, October 9. Complete this practice in class. Take notes and write your practice paragraph by hand unless you have a laptop accommodation.
At the end of your final seminar (October 13 for Sections 2–3; October 14 for Section 1), choose your strongest accuracy and meaningful difference. Reread the book passages, record their exact pages, and explain how each passage supports your comparison. Decide which overall judgment your evidence supports and how you will evaluate the musical’s value for historical memory.
A useful paragraph: Make a claim → identify the film detail → give book evidence → explain what a viewer learns or misunderstands.
These are models of the method. Write in your own words. The models cite chapters; add the exact page from your own edition when you use evidence in your essay.
The musical accurately links Hamilton’s writing to new opportunities. The opening connects his hurricane account to support that helped him leave the Caribbean. Brockenbrough describes the letter and the scholarship fund that helped finance his education (ch. 1). This agreement matters because the audience learns that his rise depended on writing ability and on people willing to support his education.
Why it works: The final sentence explains what viewers learn from the accurate detail.
The musical changes how Hamilton left Washington’s staff. In “Meet Me Inside,” Washington sends him home. Brockenbrough describes Hamilton choosing to quit after a rebuke and rejecting an early attempt to reconcile (ch. 6). This shift puts Washington in control of the separation, while the biography gives Hamilton responsibility for choosing to leave. A viewer could therefore misunderstand how Hamilton’s desire for independence contributed to the conflict.
Why it works: The explanation identifies a specific misunderstanding about who made the decision.
The musical can still have value because its finale directs attention to Eliza’s role in preserving Hamilton’s history. Brockenbrough describes her work organizing his papers and securing recognition for his achievements (epilogue). The show helps audiences notice that a historical reputation survives through other people’s choices and work. Viewers can recognize that value while checking the show’s simplified conflicts against the biography.
Why it works: The conclusion evaluates a historical benefit and acknowledges the need to check the portrayal.
A favorable judgment: Although it changes the cause of Hamilton’s break with Washington, the musical offers a responsible starting point because it accurately shows the importance of his writing and directs attention to how his reputation survived.
A more skeptical judgment: The musical risks misleading viewers because its simplified conflicts obscure Hamilton’s choices and contradictions, even though it accurately presents the importance of writing in his rise.
Either direction can work. Your chosen evidence must support your overall judgment; acknowledging an accuracy and a difference does not prevent you from taking a clear position.
Observation: “The musical changes who confronts Hamilton.”
Add the effect: “Using Jefferson, Madison, and Burr makes the confrontation seem like another coordinated attack by his familiar political rivals. The biography identifies different interviewers.”
Your turn: After describing a change, add: “This could lead a viewer to think…” Then finish with the specific historical misunderstanding.
Use the chapter listed with each scene to find the passage. The page numbers below are reading endpoints from the class assignment sheet. They locate broad portions of the book; they are not citations for individual events. Record the exact passage page in your own edition.
| Reading checkpoint | Page in the assignment sheet |
|---|---|
| End of Chapter 3 | 73 |
| End of Chapter 6 | 161 |
| End of Chapter 9 | 233 |
| End of Chapter 12 and epilogue | 317 |
The chapter guides help you locate topics. Return to the biography for the specific evidence. Paraphrase accurately, and use quotation marks only for words you copy exactly.
Materials: During the essay, you may use your own notes about the musical and Brockenbrough’s biography. Have both ready for Mr. Cutler to check.
All students will write the essay in DigiExam during their two assigned class periods. All essay drafting and revision take place in class. Between periods, you may reread the biography and review your movie notes.
| Section | Essay periods |
|---|---|
| Sections 2 and 3 | October 14 and 16 |
| Section 1 | October 15 and 16 |
Before your first essay period, update DigiExam and bring a charged computer, your movie notes, and the biography. Use this guide and the model paragraphs to prepare before the essay.
Book references: Martha Brockenbrough, Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary, with the class chapter guides. Page checkpoints: class assignment sheet.
Complete this self-assessment in class on October 19. The rubric’s references to your “paper” mean this Hamilton in-class essay.
Download the original Self-Assessment Rubric (Word) · PDF reading copy
Before your one-on-one conference
| Name | Date |
You've finished your final paper. Now reflect on it before we meet.
Instead of written feedback, we'll meet one-on-one. I'll give you verbal feedback in that conference, and this self-assessment is what we'll talk from — so it's worth doing carefully.
For each category, choose the score range you think your paper falls into and explain why using specific examples from your paper. Be honest and specific — this is genuine reflection, not grade justification. Complete the final reflection last, after sections 1–4.
| 14–15 | Thesis is sophisticated, specific, and arguable. Excellently organized, with strong topic sentences that clearly connect to the thesis. Smooth, logical flow from introduction through body paragraphs to conclusion. |
|---|---|
| 12–13 | Thesis is clear and specific. Well organized with clear topic sentences. Good logical flow and effective transitions between ideas. |
| 10–11 | Thesis is present but somewhat general or predictable. Organization is adequate, but topic sentences may be weak or inconsistently connected to the thesis. Some flow issues. |
| 7–9 | Thesis is unclear, too broad, or merely descriptive. Weak organization with unclear or missing topic sentences. Poor logical flow between paragraphs. |
| < 7 | No clear thesis, or the essay is severely disorganized. |
My self-assessed score: / 15
Why — with specific examples from my paper
| One strength | One area for growth |
| 23–25 | Consistently prioritizes interpretation and argument over description. Explains the significance of all evidence. Engages meaningfully with complexity, nuance, and multiple perspectives. Makes sophisticated connections between evidence and larger historical or ethical questions. |
|---|---|
| 20–22 | Generally prioritizes analysis over summary. Explains the significance of most evidence. Engages with some complexity and different perspectives. Makes clear connections to larger questions. |
| 16–19 | A mix of analysis and summary, with summary sometimes dominating. Explains the significance of some evidence but not consistently. Limited engagement with complexity or alternative perspectives. |
| 12–15 | Primarily summary with minimal analysis. Presents evidence without explaining its significance. Little engagement with complexity or nuance. |
| < 12 | Almost entirely summary or description, with no meaningful analysis. |
My self-assessed score: / 25
Why — with specific examples from my paper
| One strength | One area for growth |
| 14–15 | Writing is clear, precise, and essentially error-free. Sophisticated vocabulary and sentence variety. Smooth, effective transitions throughout. The introduction sets up the argument; the conclusion synthesizes without repeating. |
|---|---|
| 12–13 | Writing is clear with only minor grammatical errors. Good vocabulary and sentence structure. Effective transitions. Solid introduction and conclusion. |
| 10–11 | Writing is generally clear but has noticeable errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Some awkward phrasing or repetitive sentence structure. Adequate introduction and conclusion. |
| 7–9 | Clarity is compromised by frequent errors. Weak vocabulary or confusing sentence structure. The introduction or conclusion is underdeveloped. |
| < 7 | Significant errors throughout that impede understanding. |
My self-assessed score: / 15
Why — with specific examples from my paper
| One strength | One area for growth |
| 5 | Exceptional engagement with the material. Historical context is accurate and sophisticated. Reads as a cohesive, compelling argument. Shows intellectual risk-taking and impressive depth of thought. |
|---|---|
| 4 | Strong engagement. Historical context is accurate and well explained. Reads as a cohesive argument with good depth. |
| 3 | Adequate engagement. Historical context is mostly accurate. Reasonably cohesive with some depth. |
| 2 | Limited engagement. Historical context has some inaccuracies. Lacks cohesion or depth. |
| 1 | Minimal engagement, or significant historical inaccuracies. |
My self-assessed score: / 5
Why — with specific examples from my paper
| One strength | One area for growth |
Complete last
Total self-assessed score: / 60
Thesis & Structure 15 · Analysis 25 · Writing 15 · Overall 5
What did you learn through the process of writing this paper?
What are one or two specific questions you want to discuss in your conference?
Adapted from a rubric created by educator David Cutler, shared by Edutopia.