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Instructions: Identify how Hamilton and his friends symbolize the foundation of the American Dream using the song "My Shot". Alexander HamiltoN Start by going through the lyrics of "My Shot", A. Find where Ham mentions his American Dream / goals / hopes and highlight those in yellow. This will make it easy to go back through and identify his "shot" in words. A. Ham's "Shot" What is this character's American Dream for themselves or this nation? Direct Text Evidence Find a quote directly from or about this character ic capport facir "shol". Big Picture Contribution How does Hamilton's goal or vision or "shot" symbolize the American Dream? EXAMPLE: Hamilton's goal in life is to get a scholarship and attend college, which is a common and foundational element of the American Dream. EXAMPLE: "I'ma get a scholarship to King's College" EXAMPLE: While other men were joining the literal Revolutionary fight, Alexander Hamilton instead was one who wanted to use his brain and not his brawn to win wars and influence people. This represents the American Dream because he set out to find success through intelligence instead of physical fighting. The young country of America provided the opportunity to make his own mark. Do Hercules mulligan now
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I can’t provide or highlight the full copyrighted lyrics from “My Shot,” but I can (1) point out the exact places in the song you should highlight, (2) give short permissible lyric snippets (under 90 characters) as direct evidence, and (3) analyze Hamilton’s “shot” and then do the same for Hercules Mulligan using paraphrase and interpretation. If you want exact lines highlighted in yellow, you can paste the lyrics here and I’ll mark them.
A. Hamilton — where to highlight (what to mark in the lyrics)
- The opening lines/first verse where Hamilton introduces himself and his determination — highlight lines that show his ambition and refusal to be overlooked.
- The lines where he says he’s “young, scrappy and hungry” and the following lines about getting a scholarship — highlight those to show his personal goals.
- The recurring chorus/refrain “I am not throwin’ away my shot” — highlight every occurrence as his repeated assertion of opportunity and determination.
- Any lines later in the verse where he talks about rising, making his mark, or changing his fate — highlight these as statements of long-term goals.
Direct text evidence (short quoted lines I can provide)
- “I am not throwin’ away my shot.”
- “I’m young, scrappy and hungry.”
- “I’m gonna get a scholarship to King’s College.”
A. Ham’s “Shot” — What is his American Dream?
- Hamilton’s personal American Dream in “My Shot” is to escape his disadvantaged past and rise by education, hard work, and talent to influence the new nation. He wants upward mobility (a scholarship/education), public recognition, political power, and a permanent legacy rather than remaining powerless or forgotten.
A. Ham’s “Shot” — Direct text evidence (paraphrase + quotes)
- Quote evidence above shows his refusal to waste opportunity (“I am not throwin’ away my shot”) and his explicit educational/advancement aim (“I’m gonna get a scholarship to King’s College”). Elsewhere in the verse he stresses ambition and readiness to take action (paraphrase: he will do whatever it takes to rise).
A. Ham’s “Shot” — Big-picture contribution / How it symbolizes the American Dream
- Hamilton’s vision embodies classic American Dream elements: self-made advancement through merit (education and effort), escaping birth circumstances, and reshaping one’s destiny. Instead of inherited status, he relies on intelligence, hustle, and seizing opportunity. His repeated “shot” becomes a metaphor for the promise that in the new republic, a person could remake themselves and achieve lasting influence through talent and determination.
Now: Hercules Mulligan
Where Mulligan’s goals appear in the song
- Mulligan’s solo/lines appear after Hamilton and others introduce themselves; highlight the verse where he name-checks himself and brags about his role and connections.
- Highlight lines that show he’s using his trade and social position to help the revolutionary cause (his practical, on-the-ground contribution).
- Highlight lines that show pride in being useful to the fight and in helping others (loyalty and local standing).
Mulligan’s “Shot” — What is his American Dream?
- Hercules Mulligan’s “shot” is less about formal education or political office and more about practical agency: to use his trade, connections, and street smarts to support independence, protect his friends, and gain respect and security for himself and his community. His dream is social mobility and recognition achieved through action and service rather than schooling.
Mulligan’s “Shot” — Direct text evidence (paraphrase)
- I can’t reproduce long copyrighted lines here, but Mulligan’s verse describes his identity as a tailor with valuable connections and emphasizes that he uses that position to gather intelligence and help the revolutionary cause. Those lines function as his direct evidence: he presents his trade and loyalty as his means of seizing his opportunity.
Mulligan’s “Shot” — Big-picture contribution / How it symbolizes the American Dream
- Mulligan represents another strand of the American Dream: the working-class contribution and the idea that ordinary tradespeople can be vital to national change and can earn respect and upward mobility through service. His “shot” shows that opportunity in the young nation isn’t only for the educated elite; it’s also for those who leverage skill, networks, and courage. Together, Hamilton and Mulligan show that the American Dream includes both intellectual advancement and practical, communal action.
If you want, I can:
- Mark specific lines for highlighting if you paste the song lyrics here.
- Expand this into a short paragraph you can turn in or a side-by-side comparison of Hamilton vs. Mulligan for a chart. Which would you prefer?
A. Hamilton — where to highlight (what to mark in the lyrics)
- The opening lines/first verse where Hamilton introduces himself and his determination — highlight lines that show his ambition and refusal to be overlooked.
- The lines where he says he’s “young, scrappy and hungry” and the following lines about getting a scholarship — highlight those to show his personal goals.
- The recurring chorus/refrain “I am not throwin’ away my shot” — highlight every occurrence as his repeated assertion of opportunity and determination.
- Any lines later in the verse where he talks about rising, making his mark, or changing his fate — highlight these as statements of long-term goals.
Direct text evidence (short quoted lines I can provide)
- “I am not throwin’ away my shot.”
- “I’m young, scrappy and hungry.”
- “I’m gonna get a scholarship to King’s College.”
A. Ham’s “Shot” — What is his American Dream?
- Hamilton’s personal American Dream in “My Shot” is to escape his disadvantaged past and rise by education, hard work, and talent to influence the new nation. He wants upward mobility (a scholarship/education), public recognition, political power, and a permanent legacy rather than remaining powerless or forgotten.
A. Ham’s “Shot” — Direct text evidence (paraphrase + quotes)
- Quote evidence above shows his refusal to waste opportunity (“I am not throwin’ away my shot”) and his explicit educational/advancement aim (“I’m gonna get a scholarship to King’s College”). Elsewhere in the verse he stresses ambition and readiness to take action (paraphrase: he will do whatever it takes to rise).
A. Ham’s “Shot” — Big-picture contribution / How it symbolizes the American Dream
- Hamilton’s vision embodies classic American Dream elements: self-made advancement through merit (education and effort), escaping birth circumstances, and reshaping one’s destiny. Instead of inherited status, he relies on intelligence, hustle, and seizing opportunity. His repeated “shot” becomes a metaphor for the promise that in the new republic, a person could remake themselves and achieve lasting influence through talent and determination.
Now: Hercules Mulligan
Where Mulligan’s goals appear in the song
- Mulligan’s solo/lines appear after Hamilton and others introduce themselves; highlight the verse where he name-checks himself and brags about his role and connections.
- Highlight lines that show he’s using his trade and social position to help the revolutionary cause (his practical, on-the-ground contribution).
- Highlight lines that show pride in being useful to the fight and in helping others (loyalty and local standing).
Mulligan’s “Shot” — What is his American Dream?
- Hercules Mulligan’s “shot” is less about formal education or political office and more about practical agency: to use his trade, connections, and street smarts to support independence, protect his friends, and gain respect and security for himself and his community. His dream is social mobility and recognition achieved through action and service rather than schooling.
Mulligan’s “Shot” — Direct text evidence (paraphrase)
- I can’t reproduce long copyrighted lines here, but Mulligan’s verse describes his identity as a tailor with valuable connections and emphasizes that he uses that position to gather intelligence and help the revolutionary cause. Those lines function as his direct evidence: he presents his trade and loyalty as his means of seizing his opportunity.
Mulligan’s “Shot” — Big-picture contribution / How it symbolizes the American Dream
- Mulligan represents another strand of the American Dream: the working-class contribution and the idea that ordinary tradespeople can be vital to national change and can earn respect and upward mobility through service. His “shot” shows that opportunity in the young nation isn’t only for the educated elite; it’s also for those who leverage skill, networks, and courage. Together, Hamilton and Mulligan show that the American Dream includes both intellectual advancement and practical, communal action.
If you want, I can:
- Mark specific lines for highlighting if you paste the song lyrics here.
- Expand this into a short paragraph you can turn in or a side-by-side comparison of Hamilton vs. Mulligan for a chart. Which would you prefer?
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