The McCormick Center for the Study of the American Revolution Supports the Production of Worlds Turned Upside Down
RRCHNM’s R2 Studios is thrilled to announce that Siena College’s McCormick Center for the Study of the American Revolution has generously invested $3,000 in support of our latest podcast, Worlds Turned Upside Down.
Worlds Turned Upside Down tells the story of the American Revolution as a transatlantic crisis and imperial civil war through the lives of people who experienced it. Just in time for America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, Worlds expands the story of the revolution by exploring how the crisis that engulfed the Atlantic world in the late eighteenth century inspired British Americans, Indigenous nations, enslaved Africans and African Americans, Europeans, and other peoples to question their loyalties, challenge authority, seek freedom, and resist revolutionary change.
“The McCormick Center is so pleased to support such an innovative and thoughtful educational endeavor,” says Dr. Jennifer H. Dorsey, Director of the McCormick Center. “It is a privilege to work with Jim Ambuske and the R2 Studios team to achieve our shared goal of bringing the history of the War of Independence to new audiences on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.”
The series is narrated, written, and created by Dr. Jim Ambuske and is executive produced by Jeanette Patrick. On the support from the McCormick Center, Ambuske said, “Professor Dorsey and Siena College’s McCormick Center are leading lights in community engaged history and in creating greater awareness of New York’s colonial and revolutionary history. The center has made a real difference in the lives of its students through its history immersion programs and has supported the groundbreaking work of early career scholars by offering a much-needed postdoctoral fellowship. We are tremendously thankful for the opportunity to partner with a collaborator who shares our vision of sharing America’s past with broad audiences. Fans of Worlds Turned Upside Down already know that New York is central to the stories we’re telling over the course of the series. This investment by Siena College’s McCormick Center allows us to continue exploring New York’s place in our revolutionary past.”
Worlds Turned Upside Down has been well received by audiences and recently ranked #72 on the Apple Podcasts History Chart. Begin your revolutionary journey at www.r2studios.org.
ABOUT RRCHNM’S R2 STUDIOS R2 Studios is on a mission to democratize history through podcasting. Founded in 2021 by a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, we strive to tell unexpected stories based on the latest research to connect listeners with the past. R2 Studios is part of the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University and is named after the founder of our center, Roy Rosenzweig, who had a passion for using new media to democratize access to history.
ABOUT THE MCCORMICK CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Siena College’s McCormick Center for the Study of the American Revolution was originally founded as the Center for Revolutionary Era Studies in 2005. It is the invention of Siena College faculty and education professionals at Saratoga Battlefield. Together, we wanted to build an agency that would promote awareness about New York history and especially, the significant contributions of New Yorkers to the fight for American Independence and the early American Republic. We partner with nonprofits and the public sector to develop and share educational programming about the history of New York State and colonial and Revolutionary America. Our educational practices are student-centered and civic minded. We provide Siena students with personally meaningful leadership and learning opportunities that advance history education and prepare them for life, work and active citizenship. Our students learn history and make history!