In our portrayal, Eliza believes that “they” murdered her son, Philip, and her husband. Who are they? Why does she believe her loved ones were murdered? Do you agree—why or why not?
What did you think of Eliza’s reaction to learning about Alexander’s possible infidelity with her sister, Angelica, and his intimacy with John Laurens? What did you think of Lafayette’s advice to Eliza about it? What does Eliza conclude in her attic trials and why? What does she conclude in her conversation with William in Wisconsin?
In what ways is the family story in this book relatable to modern families? To your family?
What did you think of the relationship between Eliza and James Monroe? How did it change over time? Why did Monroe represent such a touchstone for Eliza’s feelings about Alexander? What did you think of their confrontation in 1825?
Eliza argues that the United States is Alexander’s country, and that the country itself is the monument to him that she’d been searching for and wanting. What does she mean by this? Do you agree? Why or why not?
What did Eliza and her family sacrifice for the sake of the nation?
In what ways did Eliza shape Alexander Hamilton’s legacy? In what ways did she shape that of the United States itself?
Walking in Eliza Schuyler Hamilton’s FootstepsA Conversation with the Authors
While undertaking this project, the authors visited sites connected to the Hamilton and Schuyler families, and oh, the adventures they had!
Stephanie: The idea for this book started on a trip to New York City, where we had the opportunity to see Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton: An American Musical when it first came to Broadway and the buzz was only starting. As a work of historical fiction, the musical is absolutely astonishing. And as historical fiction authors, we were humbled. But we were also curious about Eliza—the woman who first told the story of this Founding Father. Her list of accomplishments was so impressive that we had to learn more, which we immediately set about doing in the back of a taxicab—both of us searching like mad on our smartphones and exclaiming with each new discovery. We knew, straightaway, that we wanted to tell her story.
Laura: We also knew that reading the historical letters wasn’t going to be enough. Walking in the footsteps of our characters has become just as important to our process. Yes, it’s important to spend time in libraries buried under microfiche, trying to decipher yellowing pieces of paper. But we like to touch what our characters might have touched, smell what they smelled, and view the world from their vantage points. It’s always illuminating! That’s why we took not one field trip for this project, but two.
Stephanie: We sort of had to, because our very first foray was a bit frustrating. If you’re not familiar with America’s revolutionary history, you might not realize just how important the Revolutionary War was to the history of New York City—and visiting the city doesn’t make it much easier because most of the old landmarks have been replaced by new buildings. Most of the fabric of the eighteenth-century city is long gone. That progress stops for no man, or woman, is a rather Hamiltonian idea, but I was crestfallen to realize that we couldn’t actually visit most of the places where Eliza lived. Instead, we wandered about Wall Street and Broadway trying to imagine what Eliza’s view might have been of the river, and if she’d have smelled fish, or seen a forest of masts in the harbor. Fortunately, a few landmarks still exist. Trinity Church, where the Hamiltons worshipped and are buried. The Museum of American Finance building, which housed Hamilton’s Bank of New York. And Fraunces Tavern, one of my favorite places to visit in the city, where Hamilton frequently socialized and George Washington said a farewell to his officers. Our favorite finds at Fraunces were in the museum above the tavern where we were able to see amazing artifacts such as Lafayette’s sash, still stained with the blood he shed in our cause at Brandywine.
Laura: From there we made the trek out to Harlem to the one house in which we are certain Eliza Hamilton lived—the Grange. Hamilton spent a fortune building this country estate for his family and it’s where he tried to reconcile himself to life in a garden instead of in the political arena. Thanks to the heroic efforts of the U.S. National Park Service, we were able to imagine all those rooms filled with Eliza’s many children, and we stared at the bust of Hamilton just as she did, longing to meet him again. And yet—perhaps because the house has been moved a number of times to preserve it, and because the Hamiltons only shared that home for a few years before the infamous duel that shattered their lives—even as we appreciated the tall windows, the French-mirrored walls, and the restored woodwork, neither of us felt a strong emotional impression.
Stephanie: That’s true. But the place that absolutely left a strong emotional impression was Trinity Church. I remember how much time we spent there and how it changed our entire idea of what Eliza’s story might be. I’d expected some sort of grand monument to the architect of American government. Instead, we found Hamilton’s relatively humble gravestone hilariously and horrifically positioned directly across the street from a bank and some shops, one of which had a sign that said, “We are probably the lowest priced in the city.” Maybe Hamilton would have liked the way time—and the city—just marched on without him. But when Lafayette visited in 1824, his secretary complained of the indignity of this sacred graveyard being separated from the gaiety and commerce of the city by only an iron railing. And it was hard not to see that as a metaphor for Eliza’s struggle. She spent her life fighting a war against time and the
