Hamilton: The Blog!
So let me help you… Why is this founding father, relatively obscure compared to Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, or the ‘Lebron’ of the Revolution, George Washington, capturing the imagination of the nation he fought for and helped shape so long ago? Why now?
Well, it’s a hell of a story. Born in the West Indies and subjected to horrible circumstances, by 17 he made his way to New Jersey, by 21 he was history’s first Chief of Staff, writing memos and signing Washington’s name, then a courageous Colonel in the war, and later the creator of our nation’s financial system, (modern day tariffs and the national debt were his idea), the founder of the Coast Guard, the NY Post and the Federalist party. His notion of a strong centralized government with its own military and taxation kept us from being a bunch of state/countries, and literally preserved the idea of a USA. Throw in the first sex scandal in political history and dying in a duel with his chief political rival, and well, cue the orchestra, we have a hit on our hands here. (A cool hip hop score helps too.)
But I think Hamilton’s story resonates anew for a different reason. When you have managed salespeople for decades as I have, every day someone is in some level of personal stress. No one goes through life unscathed, and when you add health issues, romantic ups and downs, family problems with schools, drugs, psychological dramas many have been fighting since toilet training, with the everyday “we only eat what we kill” pressure of sales, well there are bound to be meltdowns. Periods of doubt and decline, moments of self-indulgence. “Why me, why me?” We think we can’t go on. We think life isn’t fair. How will we ever get out of this moment?
Alexander Hamilton was born out of wedlock at a time when to do so meant you were denied church membership or an education. So he became an autodidact, and read everything he could get his hands on. His mother, Rachel, let’s be kind, struggled with fidelity, and when her first husband sued her for abandonment and adultery, her second husband abandoned her out of shame. At a time when women didn’t work, Rachel was forced to work at a store to keep Alexander and his brother James fed and clothed. She died of a severe fever. A cousin, thought to be crazy, Peter, adopted Alexander, and promptly committed suicide. Hamilton was orphaned multiple times before the age of 13.
Today, Alexander would be a ward of the state. Maybe he would turn to self-medicating “his stress.” Maybe there would be well-meaning therapists. Maybe he would spend the rest of his life bemoaning he never had a chance.
But… here’s what he did instead. He got a job as a shipping clerk and learned so much about the business the owner often left the entire enterprise in his 14 year old hands. Then, he did what all great people do-he saw an opportunity. And when he saw it, he seized it.
On Aug 30th, 1772, a hurricane devastated St Croix. Hamilton wrote a dazzling (if over-written and a bit showy) essay about the storm. It was published in the Royal Danish American Gazette. The community leaders were so impressed they raised money and sent our boy to New Jersey for a proper education.
And the rest is not just American history, it is now Broadway legend. In part, no doubt, because of his astounding and prolific production and output in a short life, but also, I think because you can’t learn about Alexander Hamilton, whether by blog or biography or your outrageously expensive seat in the theatre, and not think, at some level, down deep in your psyche: He did all that starting from there?!
And I feel sorry for myself? Really? That ends right now.