American politics is often as misrepresented as American history.
All school children know about “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere,” but few realize most of what they were told was incorrect.
Revere was not a volunteer. He didn’t ride alone. He never finished the ride and he didn’t hang any lanterns in the Old North Church.
Actually, Revere’s heritage was French and changed his name from Appollos Rivoire. But yes, he was a patriot, active in many pre-revolutionary groups and took part in the Boston Tea Party.
However on that night in 1775 he was serving as a paid messenger, a role he had often before served.
The signaling lanterns were actually set by church sexton, Robert Newman and meant the British were out to arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams and seize the stash of revolutionary arms at Concord.
Revere and a companion William Dawes made it to Lexington to warn Adams and Hancock but were arrested before they reached Concord.
A third rider Dr. Samuel Prescott did get to Concord so the patriots could conceal the stash of revolutionary arms and be ready the next day to fire, “the shot heard round the world.”
In a democracy the responsibility is to question what government tells you!
Kevin J. Palmer
The Quiet Rich
