Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)
"Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)" is the twentieth song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. It recounts the story of the Battle of Yorktown.
The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, an 1820 painting by John Trumbull depicting the surrender of the British to French forces.
Hamilton: An American Musical is a sung-and-rapped-through biographical musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Lin-Manuel Miranda as well as choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler. Based on the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, the musical covers the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and his involvement in the American Revolution and the political history of the early United States. Composed over a seven-year period from 2008 to 2015, the music draws heavily from hip hop, as well as R&B, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes. It casts non-white actors as the Founding Fathers of the United States and other historical figures. Miranda described Hamilton as about "America then, as told by America now."
Broadway promotional poster
Cast members perform selections from the musical at the White House, 2016. L–R: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo, Leslie Odom Jr., and Christopher Jackson
Members of the touring cast perform at the 2020 Women's March in San Francisco.
Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hamilton