The Farmer Refuted

Last updated
The Farmer Refuted
Author Alexander Hamilton
LanguageEnglish
Preceded by A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress  
Followed by Remarks on the Quebec Bill  

The Farmer Refuted, published in February 1775, was Alexander Hamilton's second published work, a follow-up to his 1774 A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress . [1]

Contents

Summary

In The Farmer Refuted, [2] Alexander Hamilton addresses directly the main person to whom he was writing in opposition with his first work, Samuel Seabury. Seabury wrote under the name "A. W. Farmer" (a pen name and abbreviation for 'a Westchester farmer'). Calling the writing a less than imposed "labyrinth of subtilty," [3] Hamilton once again rebuts Seabury's claim that the Congress in Philadelphia deserved to be condemned for its conduct.

He also critiques the writings of Seabury stating that the Colonies can exist in their advocacy against Parliament's acts while remaining loyal to the King of Great Britain, [3] stating that it is only by "occasion" that Parliament's acts give authority to the King, Hamilton asserts his belief that "He is king of America by virtue of a compact between us and the kings of Great Britain."

The Farmer Refuted is addressed in the 2015 Broadway musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda in the song "Farmer Refuted", [4] which is about Hamilton's arguments with Seabury.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Hamilton</span> American Founding Father and statesman (1755/1757–1804)

Alexander Hamilton was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795 during George Washington's presidency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Seabury</span> American Episcopal Bishop

Samuel Seabury was the first American Episcopal bishop, the second Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and the first Bishop of Connecticut. He was a leading Loyalist in New York City during the American Revolution and a known rival of Alexander Hamilton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angelica Schuyler Church</span> American socialite (1756–1814)

Angelica Church was an American socialite. She was the eldest daughter of Continental Army General Philip Schuyler, and a sister of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and sister-in-law of Alexander Hamilton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lin-Manuel Miranda</span> American songwriter, actor, and librettist (born 1980)

Lin-Manuel Miranda is an American songwriter, actor, singer, filmmaker, rapper and librettist. He created the Broadway musicals In the Heights (2005) and Hamilton (2015), and the soundtracks for the animated films Moana (2016), Vivo, and Encanto. He has received numerous accolades including a Pulitzer Prize, three Tony Awards, two Laurence Olivier Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and five Grammy Awards, along with nominations for two Academy Awards. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2018.

A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress was one of Alexander Hamilton's first published works, published in December 1774, while Hamilton was either a 19 or a 17-year-old student at King's College, later renamed Columbia University, in New York City.

<i>Hamilton</i> (musical) 2015 biographical musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Hamilton: An American Musical is a sung-and-rapped-through biographical musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Lin-Manuel Miranda as well as choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler. Based on the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, the musical covers the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and his involvement in the American Revolution and the political history of the early United States. Composed over a seven-year period from 2008 to 2015, the music draws heavily from hip hop, as well as R&B, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes. It casts non-white actors as the Founding Fathers of the United States and other historical figures. Miranda described Hamilton as about "America then, as told by America now."

"Alexander Hamilton" is the opening number for the 2015 musical Hamilton, a musical biography of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. This song features "alternately rapped and sung exposition".

"Wait for It" is the thirteenth song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. It speaks of Aaron Burr's undying determination in the face of Hamilton's swift rise to influence and power. Vocally, it covers a baritenor range of Ab2 to Ab4.

"The Room Where It Happens" is a song from Act 2 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. The musical relates the life of Alexander Hamilton and his relationships with his family and Aaron Burr. The book, music, and lyrics of the musical, including this song, were composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The song describes the Compromise of 1790 from Burr's perspective.

"You'll Be Back" is the seventh song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. It is sung by Jonathan Groff in the show's original cast recording. Within the context of the musical, it is King George III lamenting the anti-royal machinations of the rebelling American colonists. It covers a vocal range of D3 to A4 and is written for a tenor voice.

"The Story of Tonight" is the fourth song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song.

"Cabinet Battle #1" & "Cabinet Battle #2" are songs written for Act II of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joanne B. Freeman</span> American historian (born 1962)

Joanne B. Freeman is a U.S. historian and tenured Professor of History and American Studies at Yale University. Having researched Alexander Hamilton both independently and collaboratively with mentors and peers for more than forty years, she is regarded as a leading expert on his life and legacy. Freeman has published two books as well as articles and op-eds in newspapers including The New York Times, magazines such as The Atlantic and Slate and numerous academic journals referencing the U.S. Founding Father. In addition to her many public lectures on Hamilton, outside of her regular student curriculum at Yale, her talks on the topics of political partisanship and violence in the pre-Civil War Congress have appeared on C-SPAN. In 2005 she was rated one of the "Top Young Historians" in the U.S.

"Ten Duel Commandments" is the fifteenth song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song.

"Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)" is the twentieth song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. It recounts the story of the Battle of Yorktown.

"The Reynolds Pamphlet" is the fourteenth song from Act 2 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song.

"Burn" is the fifteenth song from Act 2 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. The song is sung by the character Eliza Hamilton, originally performed by Phillipa Soo.

<i>Alexander Hamilton</i> (book) 2004 biography

Alexander Hamilton is a 2004 biography of American statesman Alexander Hamilton, written by historian and biographer Ron Chernow. Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was an instrumental promoter of the U.S. Constitution, founder of the nation's financial system, and its first Secretary of the Treasury.

<i>Hamilton</i> (2020 film) 2020 American film of the Broadway musical

Hamilton is a 2020 American biographical musical drama film consisting of a live stage recording of the 2015 Broadway musical of the same name, which was inspired by the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. Co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, 5000 Broadway Productions, RadicalMedia, Nevis Productions, and Old 320 Sycamore Pictures, it was directed by Thomas Kail, who also produced the film with Jeffrey Seller and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda, who wrote the music, lyrics, and book for the musical, also stars as Treasury Secretary and Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, along with the musical's original principal Broadway cast, including Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Christopher Jackson, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Diggs, Anthony Ramos, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Okieriete Onaodowan, and Jonathan Groff.

<i>The Haunting of Lin-Manuel Miranda</i> 2019 play

The Haunting of Lin-Manuel Miranda is a play by American writer Ishmael Reed. It critiques the acclaimed historical musical Hamilton (2015) through a depiction of a fictionalized version of Hamilton's creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is visited by several historical figures missing from the musical in a style similar to Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol. The play echoes many critiques made by historians, such as the whitewashing of Alexander Hamilton.

References

  1. "SparkNotes: Alexander Hamilton: Important Terms, People, and Events". www.sparknotes.com.
  2. "Founders Online: The Farmer Refuted". founders.archives.gov.
  3. 1 2 "The Revolutionary Writings of Alexander Hamilton - Online Library of Liberty". oll.libertyfund.org.
  4. "Lin-Manuel Miranda (Ft. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton & Thayne Jasperson) – Farmer Refuted".