Posted: 12/30/15 at 12:06pm
@hellob-sorry for the mis-attribution of the 1st quote. Regarding what's used in schools, my point is that nothing relating the Angelica is a part of the "knowledge" imparted in any history lesson. Her presence in the play serves a dramatic purpose but not a historical one, and the main significance of her to historians is the content of the letters between her and Hamilton. Precious little of the actual lives of women makes its way into American history, and Miranda has clearly invented much of it. What would concern me would be if the essential history of the founding fathers was altered, and I don't think it is in any material way. That said, of course, Chernow has a take on Hamilton and on the others that is not aligned with other historians and vice versa-which is the point of his book and the show. What I mean by that is that when you read or watch shows about the period elsewhere, you often get a different assessment of Hamilton, Jefferson, Adams etc. The only founding father who really gets put on a pedestal is Washington. Although Hamilton is elevated by Hamilton, the net effect of Hamilton is most flattering to Washington.