Hamilton: A USHAP Musical
For over a year now, Hamilton has been a smash hit on Broadway. From its unique perspective on the birth of our country to its rap soundtrack to its eleven Tony awards, Hamilton has been praised endlessly for being one of the best musicals of our time. Hamilton's style and sound don't just appeal to musical theater fans, however; its content can also help students in U.S. History. The plot and soundtrack of the musical are filled with monumental events of U.S. history that we are currently studying, including the Battle of Yorktown, the formation of the U.S.'s political parties, and Hamilton's controversial debt plan. Although there are some inaccuracies in the musical, these can be overlooked as its innovative take on late eighteenth and early nineteenth U.S. history makes the politics and debates of the time come to life. If you would like to check out the songs and their lyrics to supplement your USHAP curriculum, here is a list of Hamilton songs that cover some events we have learned in class:
***Warning: some explicit lyrics***
You'll Be Back–This song describes Great Britain's (specifically King George III's) reaction to the colonies' departure from the British Empire in the style of a breakup song.
The Battle of Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)–This song breaks down the Battle of Yorktown, key figures of the battle, and the British surrender.
Cabinet Battle #1–This song recounts the Hamilton vs. Jefferson debate about Hamilton's debt plan.
The Room Where It Happens–This song explains the passing of Hamilton's debt plan through compromise with Jefferson and Madison.
Hopefully this provides you with a new, interesting source of remembering U.S. History!
Sources: https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/hamilton-21.jpeg?w=670&h=377&crop=1
Thanks for sharing this! I have never seen the musical before, but after listening to the soundtracks, I can agree with you that "Hamilton" is both entertaining and educational. I especially liked the Cabinet [rap] Battles (both one and two). Also, something interesting to consider is why the musical was based off of Hamilton instead of Jefferson.
ReplyDeleteAs a fan of Hamilton, I genuinely appreciated the songs you picked out that represent the musical! I'd consider adding "The Election of 1800" and "One Last Time" to the list. "The Election of 1800" goes more into depth about Hamilton's power in the election and how it was important in setting off the entire Jeffersonian era. "One Last Time" summarizes Washington's farewell address, and even includes an excerpt from the original document. Also, they're both just really great songs from a great album! I'm also curious to ask- what sort of inaccuracies were added into the musical?
ReplyDelete