Alexander Hamilton, the figure who inspired the sensational Broadway smash hit, was a giant among this country’s Founding Fathers. His contributions to the early development of the United States as economist, statesman, legal scholar, politician, military commander, and aide to General George Washington are legendary, and his legacy remains a standard in defining our national values.

On Sunday, January 12, Newtown Historical Society, in conjunction with Cyrenius H. Booth Library, will host a program entitled “Hamilton: Misery, Money, and the Musical that Made Him Famous.” The program will begin at 2 pm in the meeting room of the library, 25 Main Street. It will be presented by Dr Raymond E. Sullivan.

Why is Alexander Hamilton — and not the other, more celebrated figures from our nation’s history — on the New York stage?

The answer is three-fold: Hamilton’s life is uniquely interesting, his contributions to American democracy are broad and diverse, and his inspiration in his own time for others to take up the cause of a young and independent nation is remarkable.

Arriving in New York City as a teenager from his birthplace in the Caribbean, the orphaned Hamilton soon took up the cause of the American Revolution. His rapid rise through the ranks of the Continental Army caught the attention of General Washington and forged Hamilton’s reputation for boldness and innovation.

But Alexander Hamilton’s lasting place in the American story was built through his numerous contributions to the Constitution and his work in helping overcome many of the early problems in American democracy. These later contributions reveal a sharp understanding of the character of early Americans which may have been possible only for an outsider like Hamilton.

Dr Raymond Sullivan is a retired general and oncologic surgeon with a lifelong interest in early American history. He is director of Middlebury Historical Society and a member of Massachusetts Historical Society.

His book, Contentment: A Novel of New England’s Birth, chronicles the harsh lives of the earliest immigrants to the New England region. Dr Sullivan is also active in Revolutionary War Re-Enactment projects in Massachusetts, and he teaches various aspects of Early American History at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Connecticut in Waterbury.

Note this program will be on a Sunday afternoon, instead of the Monday evening presentation the historical society does most months.

All Newtown Historical Society programs are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the presentation.

Reservations are not needed, but additional information is available by calling 203-426-5937 or visiting newtownhistory.org.