If only Hamilton had spellcheck

Alexander Hamilton’s legacy rose to new heights in the twenty-first century, a remarkable feat given that the Founding Father passed away in 1804. The debut of the Broadway musical Hamilton in 2015 reinvigorated interest in the American statesman, but even the most ardent fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s wildly popular play may not realize that Alexander Hamilton made a notable “mistake” that has endured through the centuries. A careful reading of the United States Constitution reveals that the home state of each delegate is listed alongside his name. The names of the delegates’ states were written into the document by Alexander Hamilton. Benjamin Franklin was the Pennsylvania delegate at the time, and when writing the state Franklin represented next to his name, Hamilton spelled it “Pensylvania.” That spelling notably contains two “Ns” and not the three in the modern spelling of the state’s name used today.

But before Americans point a finger at the Founding Father for misspelling the name, it’s worth noting that Hamilton was not necessarily incorrect. Indeed, it was considered acceptable to spell “Pennsylvania” with two or three Ns in the late eighteenth century.

Alas, modern readers of the Constitution cannot be blamed for wishing spellcheck had been around when the United States became a nation.