Hamilton is a musical about the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, with music, lyrics and book by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The show, inspired by the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by historian Ron Chernow, achieved both critical acclaim and box office success.
Lin-Manuel Miranda plays Alexander Hamilton in the hit Broadway musical. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
1. Where was Alexander Hamilton born?
a. Puerto Rico
b. Nevis Island
c. Philadelphia
d. Florida Keys
Answer: b. Correct! You really know your history! You can still visit Alexander Hamilton’s birthplace, but you’ll need a boat or a plane to get there. Hamilton was born on Nevis Island in the West Indies. Today, the two-story stone house is the site of the Alexander Hamilton Museum and hosts the Nevis House of Assembly on the second floor.
2. Which of the following versions of U.S. currency has Alexander Hamilton never appeared on?
a. $100 bill
b. $2 bill
c. $20 bill
d. $1,000 bill
Answer: a. That’s right! You should work for the Library of Congress! In addition to the $10 bill, the former Secretary of the Treasury has graced numerous notes over the years, including versions of the $2, $5, $20, $50 and $1,000 bills. However, he never appeared on the $100 bill.
3. Which of the following did Alexander Hamilton help create?
a. The United States Revenue Cutter Service
b. The United States Postal Service
c. The United States Marines
d. The Department of Defense
Answer a. Alexander Hamilton founded the United States Revenue Cutter Service (USRCS), a predecessor to the United States Coast Guard. USRCS ships were charged with patrolling the waters near port cities to ensure that cargo was offloaded legally and not smuggled through customs.
4. What was the name of the infamous location where Alexander Hamilton dueled with Aaron Burr?
a. The O.K. Corral
b. Dealey Plaza
c. Weehawken
d. Ford’s Theater
Answer c. You can visit the Weehawken Dueling Grounds, site of the infamous Hamilton-Burr duel and see a statue of Hamilton and a stone that the mortally wounded Founding Father allegedly rested on.
An inscription on the rock reads:
“UPON THIS STONE RESTED THE HEAD OF THE PATRIOT, SOLDIER, STATESMAN, AND JURIST ALEXANDER HAMILTON AFTER THE DUEL WITH AARON BURR.”
5. Where and when did the first recorded duel in America take place?
a. 1608 in Jamestown, Va.
b. 1804 in Weehawken, N.J.
c. 1775 in Philadelphia, Pa.
d. 1621 in Plymouth, Mass.
Answer d. Edward Doty and Edward Lester, of the Massachusetts colony, fought a duel using swords near Plymouth Rock in 1621, less than a year after the Mayflower arrived in America.
6. After Hamilton passed away, did dueling decline or increase in popularity?
a. Increased in popularity
b. Decreased
Answer a. Dueling in the United States increased in popularity in the years following Hamilton’s death. However, by the time the Civil War began, its popularity began to wane as public opinion searched for more effective ways to solve grievances.
7. Where are the Hamilton-Burr dueling pistols stored today?
a. The Hamilton Grange National Memorial in New York City
b. The Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
c. The JP Morgan Chase & Co. archives in New York City
d. Alexander Hamilton Museum on Nevis Island
Answer c. The Hamilton-Burr dueling pistols are housed at the JP Morgan Chase & Co. archives, but they cannot be viewed by the public at this time.
8. How did Alexander Hamilton’s son, Philip, pass away?
a. During battle
b. In a duel
c. Drowned at sea
d. Smallpox
Answer b. Sadly, three years before Alexander met his fate, Philip, like his father, was shot at the Weehawken Dueling Grounds.
9. Which of Alexander Hamilton’s family members helped raise funds to construct the Washington Monument?
a. His daughter, Angelica
b. His son, Alexander Jr.
c. His wife, Eliza
d. His son, John
Answer c. Eliza, Alexander’s wife, outlived her husband by 50 years. Ever-devoted to her spouse and his accomplishments, she worked tirelessly to promote his legacy. Later in life, she also helped raise funds to construct the Washington Monument in the nation’s capital. Eliza passed away in 1854 at the age of 97 and is buried alongside her husband at the cemetery behind Trinity Church in New York City.
Click here to find out “5 Things You Didn’t Know about Alexander Hamilton” from History Channel’s website from his many accomplishments to being party to one of America’s first highly publicized political sex scandals.
Northern News 