‘Outlander’ and the Founding Fathers

What do Jamie and Claire have in common with Lin Manuel Miranda’s ‘Hamilton’?

Matthew Caminiti – July 3rd, 2020

“Sing me a song of a lass that is gone
Say, could that lass be I?
Merry of soul she sailed on a day
Over the sea to Skye.”

Diana Gabaldon started their story in Scotland in 1945, when Claire Randall travels back in time to 1743 and meets Jamie Fraiser. As the series continues, Claire and Jamie move to the colony of North Carolina, and they get involved with the profoundly flawed founding fathers. Some of these have already appeared in the series, and the others? Well I think they should be.

George Washington

To quote Hamilton,
“Here comes the general

Ladies and gentlemen

Here comes the general

The moment you’ve been waiting for

Here comes the general”

In season 4 of Outlander, Claire and Jamie meet the most famous general in American History. During that encounter, Claire has to control herself because she is attending one of the founders of the revolution.

Benedict Arnold

This merchant, and later traitor, from New Haven shows up in book 7, The Echo in Bone. Claire and Benedict begin a trading relationship. Claire is hesitant when it comes to continuing relationships, knowing what happens in the future. I cannot wait until they adapt this story to the Starz series.

Alexander Hamilton – Maybe

Will we see

“The ten-dollar founding father without a father
Got a lot farther by working a lot harder
By being a lot smarter By being a self-starter
By fourteen, they placed him in charge of a trading charter”?

I have a small obsession with Hamilton, even if this founding father is not mentioned in the Outlander series. Hamilton was Washington’s Aide-de-Camp/Chief of staff and was present at the Battle of Saratoga, which was depicted in the book.

During a trip to Scotland, the person who arguably made Hamilton relevant again, Lin Manuel Miranda, tweeted:

Every time we pass a damn henge my wife tries to Outlander her way to Jamie-land, give it up lady pic.twitter.com/6Hau4bG5c6

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) August 8, 2018

Sam Hueghan aka Jamie, tweeted:

Lady has remarkable taste. https://t.co/3PfuR0Jlek

— Sam Heughan (@SamHeughan) August 8, 2018

Caitriona Balfe aka Claire, tweeted:

I’ll sell him to her for some Hamilton tickets..!!!! #everyonehasaprice #justfeedandwaterhimdaily @Lin_Manuel @SamHeughan https://t.co/VUcKaMH4wd

— Caitriona Balfe (@caitrionambalfe) August 9, 2018

That is a fair trade for all involved.

Finally, Lin tweeted the entire plot to Outlander:

Um I did a funny tweet
and now I’m in a time travel Wife Swap
help https://t.co/j6qu2YP9eM

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) August 9, 2018

Hopefully, we’ll see Alexander (and Lin) on a future season of Outlander.

Aaron Burr – Maybe

“I’m willing to wait for it.
I’m willing to wait for it.
Wait for it Wait for it
Wait for it Wait for it.”

Again, this founding father and the “damn fool that shot Hamilton” is not mentioned in the books. If Hamilton is mentioned, there is a good chance that Burr will be too.