Experience Hamilton in Virginia
"So what'd I miss? What'd I miss? Virginia, my home sweet home, I want to give you a kiss."
- Thomas Jefferson, from the musical HAMILTON
HAMILTON burst onto Broadway in 2015, and has left audiences delighting over the story of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton ever since.
We invite you to see where many of the stories that inspired the musical took place in Virginia.
On stage, Alexander Hamilton tells of his frequent interactions with notable Virginians, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, and how his travels in Virginia influenced the country for centuries to come. Follow Alexander Hamilton’s story one step further with a visit to the homes of these important Americans, as well as several other iconic historic locations within Virginia.
Beginning July 3, HAMILTON will be available to watch on the Disney+ streaming service, allowing everyone to experience the magic of the hit Broadway musical.
YORKTOWN AND COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG
The Battle of Yorktown signaled the end of the American Revolution, bringing to a close the war between the new American colonies and the British Empire. During the Yorktown campaign, Hamilton was given an independent command within the Continental Army, working alongside Washington and Lafayette to win the battle and defeat the British Army. Under his guidance, the Continental Army captured a strategic fortification (redoubt #10) at the siege of Yorktown.
At the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, visitors can learn about Alexander Hamilton and the 1781 Siege of Yorktown in permanent exhibition galleries that feature immersive settings with artifacts, interactives, dioramas and short films.
Hamilton would become close friends with French military officer Marquis de Lafayette during the American Revolution, writing frequently about matters in politics, literature, and history. Hear from “America's Favorite Fighting Frenchman” at Colonial Williamsburg, where each day, a reenactor rides his horse and rallies the troops into battle.
GEORGE WASHINGTON AND MOUNT VERNON
Hamilton was a senior aide to Washington during the American Revolutionary War, helping the future President of the United States run the newly formed Continental Army. Hamilton's appointment would lead to a long and trusted friendship between the two men, with Washington choosing Hamilton as the first Secretary of Treasury when he becomes President and even asking him to write his Farewell Address upon leaving office in 1796.
Visit George Washington's Mount Vernon estate to learn about the first President's private life on the rural grounds along the scenic Potomac River.
THOMAS JEFFERSON AND MONTICELLO
As Hamilton is appointed the role of Secretary of the Treasury, Thomas Jefferson becomes the first Secretary of State under George Washington. While Hamilton and Jefferson start as opponents due to Jefferson's disapproval of Alexander Hamilton's financial plans for the country, they eventually settle their differences of opinions with the Compromise of 1790, where Jefferson and James Madison support Hamilton's financial plans in exchange for moving the United States capital from New York City to Washington, D.C.
Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello, outside of Charlottesville, was designed and built by Jefferson, revealing his character and personality in every inch of the estate. Take a guided tour of the home, gardens, and grounds for an in-depth look at the man that would become the third President of the United States.
JAMES MADISON AND MONTPELIER
Both James Madison and Alexander Hamilton saw a bright future for the burgeoning country that would become America, and these two great men would work together to lead the way in the Federalist movement sweeping the country. After the Revolutionary War, Hamilton would enlist help from James Madison to write the Federalist Papers, a compilation of essays that defended the new Constitution of the United States and outlined the arguments for ratification. The papers would become some of the most important documents written in American history.
Madison is recognized for many historic contributions to the country, including his title as “Father of the Constitution, Architect of the Bill of Rights, and Fourth President of the United States. Montpelier, his lifelong home, has been painstakingly restored and preserved to reflect the everyday life of James Madison and his family. After touring the home, see the “Mere Distinction of Color” exhibit, which shares the heartbreaking untold stories of some of the slaves that served the Madisons at Montpelier.
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