The last time David was featured in a Semantics post was August 2017. TWO YEARS AGO!
This wasn’t intentional. I suppose I didn’t even notice because I was getting so much great material from toddlers, not to mention a little girl who has been trolling me since she turned two. (That’s a direct quote from a friend last week. And I’ve repeated it 48 times since because that observation made me feel so known.)
ANYWAY
To set this up, I need everyone to know that in the last month or so the Kriegers have become the world’s biggest Hamilton fans. I know that Hamilton has been around since 2015 (back when David was regularly featured in Semantics posts!) and saying we are Hamilton fans is like saying we just discovered sushi or a new artist you might like named Taylor Swift.
We’ve been making up for lost time by listening to the soundtrack on repeat (obviously), watching performances on YouTube, and you might find yourself at the library wondering who checked out all the books on Hamilton and the Revolutionary War.
– – – – –
I was sitting by the pool one evening watching the kids swim while Tom was up on the deck grilling.
David pops out of the water and shouts, “CHAOS AND BLOODSHED ARE NOT A SOLUTION!” Then goes back underwater.
I turn to Tom, “DID YOU HEAR WHAT HE JUST SAID? Bloodshed? Did he pick that up from Minecraft or something?”
Tom, laughing, “No, it’s from Hamilton.”
[Semantics is a new series of posts designed to record the conversations, mispronunciations, and sweet misunderstandings I’d probably forget otherwise.]
We live near Morristown, site of many things, and home to the Schuyler-Hamilton home, given that name because that was where he courted her. A school she founded is still in operation, though, the name has changed.
https://www.njdar.org/schuyler-hamilton.html
As a historian, I have very mixed feelings, I’m so glad it sparked an interest in history. And, for what it is worth, most historical sites were saved through the efforts of women. However, I admit I’m deeply pained by the inaccuracies, as things in film and stage tend to become accepted as truth.
One of the most egregious was Argo, which completely omitted the role of John Sheardown. He and his wife were the ones who actually housed most of the hostages. He was who they phoned, and his response was “why didn’t you call sooner?” He refused the Order of Canada for his efforts because his British wife didn’t qualify, and he argued she took most of the risk, as the landlord was selling, and showing, the home. She was the first non-Canadian to receive it. They shopped at a variety of shops to hide the extra groceries. Even during movie interviews, Taylor, the ambassador kept saying Sheardown was the real hero. PerAfflack, it was a budget decision. Picture Hamilton, without ever mentioning Hamilton.
You are so fortunate to live in an area where so much has been preserved, and with current archeological digs. Believe it or not, Princeton Battlefield is scheduled to be eliminated, replaced with faculty housing.
Will he be old enough for history camps next summer?
The following link has nothing to do with history. I just thought you would enjoy it as part of your canine quest.
https://abc7ny.com/5447222/?ex_cid=TA_WABC_TW&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=5d4a3eeda281bd0001afd522&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
Fascinating! Have you read the book that inspired the musical? (Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow) If you have, I’d love to hear if you think that’s accurate. I hear it’s a dense read. Tom is reading it but I’m not well-rested enough to tackle that sort of reading 🙂