Paul Revere’s Ride

By

Helen WerntzForest Acres Elementary School

November, 2001

American PatriotPaul Revere was an American

Patriot who, along with many other colonists, was angered

by the British troops who were living in Boston. On March 5,

1770, a group of angry colonists gathered near some British soldiers and shouted insults at them. Soon a fight

broke out and the soldiers fired their guns. Five colonists

were killed in the “Boston Massacre.” Paul Revere

printed a picture of the event for the newspaper. Needless

to say, the picture and the story angered even more

colonists!

Paul & the “Tea Party”On the night of

December 16, 1773, Paul was involved in the

Boston Tea Party. He and a group of men

dressed up as Native Americans, climbed

onto a British ship, and threw English tea into Boston Harbor. This was a protest on the high taxes that the

English placed on the price of tea.

Tensions between the American colonists and the British

soldiers got worse. British General Thomas Gage learned that two Patriot leaders, John Hancock and Samuel Adams

were hiding out in the town of Lexington. He also learned that the Americans had been

stockpiling weapons and military equipment in the

town of Concord. He ordered approximately 800 British

soldiers to arrest Hancock and Adams and seize the weapons.

The Secret Signal

Paul Revere found out about General Gage’s plans and decided he needed to do

something to help the Patriots. He would warn Hancock and

Adams and the people of Concord.

He arranged for friends to give a secret signal to let him know how the British troops would

leave Boston.They were to put one lantern in the

steeple of Old North Church if the British would be coming by

land and two lanterns if they would be moving by sea.

Finally Paul saw the signal…two lanterns!

Missing Spurs!Paul’s friends agreed to

take him across the river in a boat. There he would find a swift

horse waiting for him. Just as he was about to

get into the boat, he realized that he had

left his spurs at home. He would need them

for such a an important mission!

Fortunately, Paul’s dog had followed him to the river. Paul wrote a a note to his wife, attached the note to the dog’s collar, and

told the dog to go home. When the dog returned, Paul’s spurs were tied to his collar

and the note was gone! Now, Paul

was ready for his important ride!

Now you see why dogs are

called Man’s Best

Friend!

Paul’s RideOn the other side of the

river, Paul Revere and another patriot,

William Dawes, rode in different

directions to try and warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams that the British were on their way to arrest

them. They also wanted to tell the colonists in the

towns of Lexington and Concord that the British soldiers were

on their way!

The British are

Coming!

Paul rode his horse, Brown Beauty, into the night. When he reached the town of Lexington, he

shouted warnings, “The regulars are out!” (The British are coming!)

William Dawes arrived in the town soon after

Paul. They found the house where John

Hancock and Samuel Adams were staying. They warned them to leave or they would soon be arrested or

killed.

The End of the Ride

Paul and William Dawes met up with another Patriot, Dr. Samuel

Prescott. The three of them headed to Concord to warn of the British invasion. They had not gone far

before they were spotted by British soldiers. Dawes and Prescott

escaped, but Paul was stopped. He managed to get away from the

soldiers, but his horse was taken from him. He had to walk back to Lexington, but he will always be

remembered for his

famous midnight ride.

ResourcesSlide 2—The Boston Massacre

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/pages/jb_0305_boston_1_e.html

Slide 5—Old North Church

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Slide 6—Paul Revere’s House

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/I?detr:16:./temp/~ammem_8I5V::displayType=1:m856sd=det:m856sf=4a27729:@@@mdb=eaa,aap,aaeo,rbaapcbib,aasm,ftvbib,aaodyssey,hh,gottscho,mharendt,bbpix,bbcards,magbell,lbcoll,rbpebib,calbkbib,tccc,lhbcbbib,cwband,cwnyhs,gmd,cwar,cola,consrvbib,bdsbib,coolbib,coplandbib,curt,dag,musdibib,fsaall,mfd,papr,aep,fine,dcm,cmns,flwpabib,afcreed,cowellbib,toddbib,lomaxbib,ngp,afcwwgbib,raelbib,gottlieb,mtj,alad,wpa,mal,scsm,mcc,mmorse,aipn,ncpm,ncpsbib,omhbib,pan,vv,wpapos,psbib,pin,presp,lhbprbib,qlt,ncr,relpet,dukesm,mussm,mesnbib,denn,amss,fpnas,svybib,runyon,wtc,detr,hlaw,lhbumbib,varstg,horyd,mgw,hawp,nawbib,suffrg,nfor

Slide 8—Map of Boston Area

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/map_item.pl?data=/home/www/data/gmd/gmd376/g3764/g3764b/ar090000.sid&style=armap&itemLink=D?gmd:1:./temp/~ammem_RVYv::&title=A+plan+of+the+town+and+harbour+of+Boston+