Play with Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Abigil Adams - Essay Example

Play Starring Samuel Adams, Alexander Hamilton and Abigail Adams Act I Having traveled back in time, our Moderator is seated at a table with Samuel Adams, Alexander Hamilton and Abigail Adams conducting a round table discussion on America, past and present events. Seated in the audience are people of the era, and other time travelers.
MODERATOR
I want to begin by welcoming everyone here today. For those of you in our audience who might not know my guests today, or myself, let me introduce us to you. I am YOUR NAME, and I am from the year 2007, and I, like you – well, perhaps not all of you since there appear to be some time travelers here from a period in time I am unfamiliar with. At any rate, I am an American, as are many of you.
We’re here today talk about America, world events, and to get the impressions and thoughts and ideas of people who are historically significant to America. On my right, is one of those historically significant people, Samuel Adams.
(Applause).
MODERATOR
As many here today might know, Mr. Adams was one of the signatures on America’s Declaration of Independence, and his cousin, John Adams, became the second president of the United States.
(Applause).
MODEATOR
(Over the applause)
Welcome, Mr. Adams. I must say it’s a pleasure to meet you, and I am delighted you agreed to be here today.
MR. ADAMS
Thank you, and thank ye all for that warm welcome. I am humbled. And knowing what I do about modern day round tables, I have to admit that I was just a little bit reluctant to be here, but I have reconciled myself that it is a good thing. A necessary thing.
MODERATOR
Thank you, Mr. Adams. We are all certainly glad for your decision to be here. Seated to my left is the former First Lady, Abigail Adams, wife of the second president of the United States, John Adams. Mrs. Adams, welcome, and I want to thank you for agreeing to be here today. Mrs. Adams, you’re probably even better known for your writing of letters during the American Revolutionary War; they stand out as both great writing in American history, and as one of the earliest collection of thoughts on women’s rights. And we’ll talk with you a little more about that in a few minutes here. But, again, thank you for joining us.
MRS. ADAMS
(Nodding).
Thank you YOUR NAME, I am glad to be here and I look forward to this discussion.
MODERATOR
And seated in the middle, between Mrs. Adams and Mr. Adams, is Alexander Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton might best be known for his duel with Aaron Burr, during which he was mortally wounded; but before that, he served with the Continental Congress militia under General George Washington, and later served in the president’s cabinet. An accomplished lawyer, and a signature on the United States Constitution. Welcome, Mr. Hamilton.
MR. HAMILTON
Yes, thank you. Pleasure to be here (he winks at Mrs. Adams).
MRS. ADAMS
(Annoyed).
Oh, do be a gentleman for once, Alex.
MR. HAMILTON
(Smiling roguishly).
Not a chance, haven’t you heard, you’re emancipated? Good Gawd, woman, have you seen what they’re wearing these days? There you sit buttoned up to the neck, and you was the one that started all this stuff. Are you a material girl?
MRS. ADAMS
(Indignant).
That’s untrue, Alex. I advocated for women’s rights, not women’s promiscuity and nudity. Material girl, please. She’s a disgrace! Being on that cross isn’t really a statement about anything except her own ego. Don’t say you fell for that one? I thought you to be a smarter man than that, Alex.
MODERATOR
Okay. Well, that’s not the direction we want to move in at this time. If I might, let’s begin our discussion by talking about the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Adams, can you tell us whether or not you think the United States Constitution of 1787 was an improvement on the Articles of Confederation?
MR. ADAMS
(Eyeing Mrs. Adams cautiously).
Yes, yes, I can. Well, the Constitution of 1778 certainly was a more thorough and thought out document. You see, the Confederation document was what you folks today might call fast and dirty. We needed something to guide us at the time, and we sort of threw that together. You know, without laws the universe is chaos. So we put it together on the fly, so to speak. It was really not something that was well thought out. The Constitution on the other hand reflects the work of some great statesmen, my colleagues.
MRS. ADAMS
(Annoyed).
States “men” is right. Not a single woman’s signature on the damn thing. It would have been quite a different document had women been allowed in that hall during those days.
MR. HAMILTON
(Growling).
What are you saying, woman, that women had no input into the Constitution? Well, that’s misleading, and I won’t allow you to do that to these good people. Not a man’s signature appears on that paper that wasn’t well versed in the desires of his wife – political and otherwise. I sit here before you to correct that misconception. Your signatures may not be on the thing, but you’re spirit is reflected therein, of that I can assure you.
MRS. ADAMS
Please, Alex, there’s not a word one in the thing about women. We didn’t get the vote for another 130; 130 years before women in all the states are allowed to vote.
MR. HAMILTON
(Eyeing Mrs. Adams).
Mm-hmm.
MODERATOR
Okay. Well, Mr. Hamilton, why was the Constitution an improvement over the Articles?
MR. HAMILTON
The Constitution, as Mr. Adams pointed out, was organized, well thought out, and where the Articles gave the states a one for one vote, the Constitution created a balance so that states where the populations were not as dense as in, say, New York, had an opportunity to be a voting force in the country. This was only fair, it created a balance, gave everyone the right to participate. Back then, it was probably more important to people – especially having won independence not long before that.
You see, it is very difficult to appreciate something if you have not had the experience of being under the thumb of a monarchy, and you have no rights. The land you call your own, really isn’t your own.
MRS. ADAMS
Amen to that, I can relate.
MODERATOR
What do you feel are the basic values by which America is defined?
MR. ADAMS
That America is defined by it its independence, and its willingness to stand together in defense of that. It really is not about the capitalism as much as it is about hope, faith, and community. (Laughing). There is a saying I am somewhat famous for. It goes like this, “If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”
MODERATOR
(Moved).
Thank you, Mr. Adams. I think that says it all. Looking at the United States Government today, what are its strengths, and what are its weaknesses?
MR. ALEXANDER
Its strengths as I see them, are that they’ve had the good sense to leave the Constitution alone. Its weaknesses are that they don’t have the good sense to stand up for the basic principles that are embodied in the Constitution. They’ve twisted liberty around on itself. They’ve gotten so microscopic about liberty that they’ve legislated it away. Why, just look at states voting on term limits! Good Lord, man, what is that about? They’ve surrendered their right to vote a person into office that might serve them well because they’re too lazy to go to the poles and vote against him; so they vote to limit him in terms?
MRS. ADAMS
Or her. But I have to agree with Mr. Alexander on this. They have surrendered their right to vote for someone because they don’t want to vote against them in an election? Does that make sense? You’re giving up your right in the name of freedom? There’s something very off kilter in that thinking. It is the same Constitution, but it is a twisted interpretation of it. Someone really should take that one to the Supremes. I cannot believe that the Supremes would rule in favor of term limits. Did they ?
MR. ADAMS
Yes, I have to agree with both my colleagues there. No, Mrs. Adams, the Supreme Court has never ruled on term limits that I am aware of.
MRS. ADAMS
(Smiling).
Why, Mr. Adams, I think you just referred to me as your equal.
MR. ADAMS
(Returning the smile).
Yes, I have, and I think you and the rest of the women in the world have earned my respect. I see you very different in the light of suffrage, I must confess.
MODERATOR
Among the world leaders, who do you most admire, and why?
MRS. ADAMS
(Thoughtful)
I most admired – although he was assassinated – Anwar Sadat. A good man. An honest man. A man who, towards the end of his life, did what he knew to be right in making peace with Israel – even though, and I am certain of this – he knew it would cost him his life. And it did. But it was a bold and brave thing to do. It made such a difference in the Middle East.
I suppose of the people who are living, I would say – yes, that’s a difficult question. I admire Condoleeza Rice, I think given the rein to do as she would the situation in the Middle East would be a different situation today. She is a smart woman.
MR. ADAMS
I would have to say I most admire Bill Gates. He is a man whose ideas took him to the top, and he remains humble and sharing. I think – I hope, he will use his fortune and technology to create equality in the world.
MR. ALEXANDER
That is a tough question. I am, frankly, ashamed of the world leaders, especially American leaders. When an American president stands before a foreign nation and promises them America’s support – and you can debate this question on oil and wealth separately if you like – but when an American president tells a third world nation that America will stand with them; then by God America should stand with them. You elected the man – right or wrong – you elected him, and not to stand by him and support him – and he really has not changed his tune at all – well, not to stand by what your president promised a country is shameful.
And who among you really believes that you can bring about change in a country over night? You want to think because the history books left out the piles and piles of hours and days and years that were not the most significant events in America that this great country came about over night?
Well, I am here to tell you it did not happen that way. What Mrs. Adams said a moment ago is proof of that – it took 130 years from independence for women to be enfranchised in this country. You want Iraq to be a shining example of democracy in three years? Someone needs their head examined, and it is not your president, whom you have all treated so disrespectfully.
And what is this about joining the Army to go to college? By God, what is that about? These young men join an Army to go to college? Then you wonder why young men are taking guns to colleges?
MODERATOR
(Sadly).
Well, unfortunately, that’s all the pages we have today. I want to thank all of you for being here. I wish we had more pages. Read More