Believe it or not, it is said that Paul Revere never yelled the famous phrase, “ The British are coming!” How did we end up with this phrase and how did we end up giving Paul Revere credit for it? He never even made it into the streets of Concord! (where it was said that he had yelled the famous warning). William Dawes and Paul Revere were a part of a plan to alert Lexington and Concord of a possible invasion of the British. The plan was that they’d each take a separate route to ensure that if one was captured the other would make it still to hang a significant amount of lantern. One lantern meant the British were marching out of the city, while two meant they were crossing to Cambridge. Revere did make it to put up two lanterns, and even made it to another stop to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock. After that they set out for Concord and were joined by Samuel Prescott.
Now I’m sure you’ve heard all of that before, but here’s where it’s different; Paul Revere was captured by a British patrol and roughly questioned for an hour or two, impeding him from making it to Concord. William Dawes’ voyage was also stopped, as he lost his horse. However, Samuel Prescott managed to escape and made it to Concord to warn Patriots there.
It’s so crazy to think that the story we all thought we knew so well to end with the grand line, “The British are coming!” was wrong. So wrong, that Paul Revere didn’t even make it into Concord. One thing that was thought to have started this theory was the poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by William Wadsworth Longfellow which did depict him entering the town and exclaiming that the British were coming. It has been said that although they were working on starting a new nation, they still saw themselves as British people, which makes sense. Therefore, saying “The British are coming!” wouldn’t really specify who was coming, as they were in Britain. It was described in a letter he wrote to someone later that he’d said “The Regulars are coming”, and that’s as close as he ever came to that line, although he wasn’t even in Concord.
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Did you know that Paul Revere didn’t actually make it to Concord and alert the Patriots using the famous line “The British are coming!”?
Do you think it’s wrong that we’ve depicted this story wrong for years even though it was such a small detail (although it led up to such a major event)?
Replies
Great topic choice and well done Katie! Thanks for education people on the real story of Paul Revere!
I did not know that paul revere didnt actually say his famous lines but its not that unlikely to belive beacuse part of history gets rewritten depending on who one and some parts get left out. I think that its not exactly wrong but its always right to tell the truth. it makes one think what kind of butterfly effect it could have if we knew the truth.
I, for one actually knew this beforehand. I got really absorbed into the US revolutionary war in fith grade. Am I mad at all our media for misrepresenting reality? No, I am not. I'm just disapointed that so many sources throughout our education system say that he rode the entre route, and said "the british are coming."
I know I have been tod the story, but I do not remember him not making it to Concord. I think all of us have been told at leats once that he made the famous line. Even in movies and shows he was riding a horse and yelling, "the British are coming!" I don't think it is a bad thing. It's not a life changing saying. It has stuck now and it's not like if we take the credit away from Pual the whole outcome of the event will change.
I had no idea that Paul Revere didn't make it to Concord, and I get the feeling very few people do know. I think that the story of Paul Revere is good to know, but that it's only a minor detail in the major story of our revolution. Ultumately having the story wrong isn't going to hurt anyone, so I don't think it's wrong per say.
I was not aware that Paul Revere never actually made it to Concord and said his famous line...I am sure that many people fo not know this. I don't think that it is wrong that we have the story all wrong, but I do think that we should try to change it to the right way.
I agree with seth because I also had no idea that this was happening and that more people should learn about this. I also don't think that it is wrong but yes I agree that it needs to be switched to become the right way.
I did not know that paul revere didn't make it to concord and it was Samuel Prescott that made it to concord. it is very interesting how somethings in history are not told how they actually happened from now on I will correct anyone who brings this up.
I agree because what if you did something in history but nobody would say anything about what you did I would feel horrible if I did something that goes in history I would want to be recognized for what I did in my life.
Before today I didn't know that he didn't even make it to Concord or that he didn't even say "The british are coming". However, I actually found it out earlier today from a tiktok. I think that we should start teaching kids what really happened and what was really said instead of teaching them false information.
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