Thursday, March 26, 2015

In the poem, "Paul Revere's Ride", which details would probably not be found in a textbook?

The poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was not completely historically correct.  It gives the impression that Paul Revere made a solitary ride to warn the people that the British were about to attack.  The true fact is that he rode with two other people on that ride.  One was William Dawes, and the other was Dr. Samuel Prescott.  There is another poem written about William Dawes by Helen Moore titled, “The Midnight Ride of William Dawes.”


The event also happened on more than one night.  Revere met with Colonel Conent two days before the ride to arrange for the lanterns in the Old North Church.  The signals were not to go to Revere specifically, but to the Patriots in general. 


Finally, Paul Revere never made it to Concord.  In the poem it says,


“It was two by the village clock/When he came to the bridge in Concord town” (Stanza 10, lines 1-2)


He and William Dawes were captured and interrogated by the British.  The only person who made it to Concord was Dr. Samuel Prescott.  Revere and Dawes were later released, but they returned to Boston.  Check the site below for other myths of the poem, but these are your strongest points.

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