In my regular (general) United States History class when I asked if anyone knew why they were called “Minute-men,” a student spoke up and declared, “Why that’s cuz they only fought for about a minute before they ran.” He was dead serious. Class erupted in laughter (they were not laughing at him, he laughed as well.) But this did lead me to talk about some myths.
Paul Revere’s ride is another one that has several myths. According to some: “Paul Revere stopped at taverns along the way and was so drunk he fell off his horse at a tavern in Lexington and was captured by the British.” In 1968 The Boston Globe published a story on Patriot’s Day that Revere was drinking the night of his ride. However, historians such as David Hackett Fischer (Paul Revere’s Ride) have successfully dispelled such myths.
“Listen my children, with attentive pause; To the midnight ride of William Dawes.”
Now, a good class discussion piece might be to ask the students why did William Dawes get short changed in history for his efforts that night? Some will say Revere was simply a better promoter. Maybe, but Dawes contributes to his own dimise. As Fischer notes, Dawes made various mistakes during his ride and failed to alert the correct people in numerous towns. However, this still does not explain why Dawes has been forgotten, afterall he did alert a lot of people and made good such time he caught Revere in Lexington just after midnight.
Ref:” In 1968 The Boston Globe published a story on Patriot’s Day that Revere was drinking the night of his ride.”
This is not unusual for anyone one the left…the Globe is very.
A couple of years ago there was another attempt to change history in a very dramatic way not unlike the Globe that tries by inuendo. Harvard University (another far lefty) received 25 million dollars from Saudi Arabia to write a textbook that put Muslims in the forefront of discovering America. The textbook was so radical that even the lefty censors who say “aye” or “nay” over such matters gave it the thumbs down.
Norm
ps:I was born and raised in Massachusetts, I know the Globe all too well.
By the way…
Did you read my little essay about Stephen Barret? He was a ‘Minuteman’
http://normanhooben.blogspot.com/2010/08/when-you-finish-your-homework-get-ready.html
Norm thanks so much for posting I will check out your essay!
Chris
Ref (my comment) :”Harvard University … received 25 million dollars from Saudi Arabia”
See video here http://normanhooben.blogspot.com/2010/11/american-history-101-revisted-ole.html
Ref: “25 million dollars…” Actually the video states, “20 million dollars” but I’m quite sure that I got the 25 million figure from an earlier article dating around the time I wrote the op-ed.
Meanwhile, it’s not so much the + or – 5 million that concerns me, it’s what they’re doing with the money…re-writing history!