NEW YORK CITY: The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and Hamilton have announced the launch of EduHam at Home, a free digital program for students and their families to explore the world of Hamilton and America’s founding era together.
“Out of everything that has come from Hamilton, I am most proud of EduHam and of the students who have created their own incredible work from primary sources,” said Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda in a statement. “I’m thrilled that we can make Hamilton learning a family experience, led by the students at home during this unprecedented time.”
The program, recommended for students in grades 6 through 12, provides an American history curriculum introducing students to the people, events, and documents of the 18th century. Upon registration, participants will be able to access video clips from Hamilton performed by the cast; interviews with Lin-Manuel Miranda, selected cast members, and Ron Chernow, whose biography of Alexander Hamilton inspired the musical; a wide selection of primary sources centered on key documents from the era, including a love letter from Alexander Hamilton to his fiancee Elizabeth Schuyler and essays from The Federalist Papers; and expert advice for using these materials to create performance pieces.
The program culminates with participants creating and performing their own narrative in the form of a song, rap, spoken word, or scene. Students are invited to submit their creations, and selected student performances will be shared on the Hamilton app, social media, and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s website.
EduHam at Home is an extension of the Hamilton Education Program, created in 2015 by Miranda and Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and the Rockefeller Foundation, with the goal of integrating the study of American history with the performing arts. To date, more than 160,000 students from 1,985 Title I-eligible high schools across America have participated in the program in 25 cities.
