Midnight Ride
On the night of April 18th, Paul Revere received a messenger at his home who told him that the British troops camped in Boston were preparing to leave the town. From there, he traveled from Boston, through Charlestown and eventually to Lexington, Massachusetts, before being waylaid by British soldiers on patrol.
They released him that night, and he would go on to help other Patriots escape and hide treasonous documents from the snooping British soldiers. Revere disappears from the records for a few days and re-emerges with a letter to his wife Rachel, who was still in Boston with their children. From there, Revere would spend about a year outside of Boston and finally return home in March or April of 1776. The Midnight Ride is one of the most famous events of the American Revolution, but why?
During his lifetime, he was known for other things – his businesses, for example, and his involvement in his community. It wasn’t until 1860, many years after his death in 1818, that he became famous for his actions on April 18th, 1775. A poet named Henry Wadsworth Longfellow published a poem about Paul Revere’s ride on the cusp of the American Civil War, hoping that it would instill the belief in his readers that even one person can make a difference. In this source set, you will read Revere’s first hand account of that night, letters between him and his wife Rachel, and finally, Longfellow’s poem.
Historians study both what actually happened in the past, and how people talk about what happened. What are the key differences between Revere’s account of his actions and how Longfellow talks about them?
Browse and search the full collection of Midnight Ride:
Letter from Paul to Rachel Revere, April 1775
Midnight RideAbout Item: This is a letter Paul wrote in 1775 to his wife Rachel. At the time, he was outside of Boston after his famous Midnight Ride and it was too dangerous to return home. He and Rachel were coordinating via letters and messengers about how to get...
Letter from Rachel to Paul Revere, May 1775
Midnight RideAbout Item: After Paul’s letter to Rachel from Watertown, MA in 1775, Rachel wrote this letter in response. They were planning together how to get Rachel and the children out of Boston safely to reunite with Paul in Watertown. To do this, they needed to...
Pass for Riding, 1775
Paul Revere's Life: Learning ResourcesMidnight RideAbout Item: The letter, written by James Otis, Sr. in 1775, presents Paul Revere as a trustworthy messenger for the Sons of Liberty. This would make it easier for Paul to find places to sleep, and get the food and...
Paul Revere’s 3rd Account of his Midnight Ride, 1798
Midnight RideAbout Item: This is the third and final account that Paul Revere wrote describing his actions on April 18th, 1775. He wrote this 23 years after the events in 1798 for Jeremy Belknap, the founder of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Belknap wanted...
Paul Revere’s Ride by H.W. Longfellow, 1860
Midnight RideAbout Item: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote and published Paul Revere's Ride locally in 1860. It was published nationally in the January issue of the Atlantic Monthly in early 1861. Longfellow wanted to write a fascinating story that would inspire...
Teacher Resources
Historical Overview
Paul Revere is by far most famous for his ride from Boston to Lexington, MA in April of 1775. Paul had already been acting as a courier for the Sons of Liberty for quite some time, which made him an obvious choice for this important task. He had been riding throughout Massachusetts, New England, and even went as far as Philadelphia to deliver papers and messages. The night of April 18th came as little surprise to Paul and the other Sons of Liberty. In fact Paul had done the same ride about 10 days earlier, to plot out the route and alert some fellow Patriots that the British soldiers may be making their way into the “countryside” soon. When the actual alert came to Revere that it was time to go, he wasn’t alone. William Dawes did almost the same journey, but instead of crossing the Charles River to the North, went South out of Boston via the Boston Neck. Some students may wonder why William isn’t as famous as Paul if they did much the same thing? The answer to that question can be found in this source set – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem. Had he chosen to write the poem about Dawes instead, Paul probably wouldn’t be famous! The other documents in this source set give more information and context for Paul’s lived experience of the ride and immediately afterward. Students can read letters between Paul and his wife Rachel, and even read Paul’s account of the night in his own words.
Click here for a downloadable version of the Midnight Ride timeline
Close Reading Questions
- Paul’s letter to Rachel
- What items did Paul Revere ask Rachel to send to the ferry? Why do you think he chose these particular items?
- Invoice for Printing
- For what services did Revere want the colony of Massachusetts to pay him?
- For what expenses did he want to be reimbursed?
- How much in total was Revere asking for? How much did the House of Representatives agree to give him?
Suggested Activities
- Invoice for Printing
- Some people feel that if Revere really believed in the cause of the Revolution, he should have made rides and printed money for free. Imagine you are Paul Revere and you need to write a persuasive essay as to why you should be paid. What arguments would you use?
Standards
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- MA HSS 2018 Social Studies Standards
- Practice and Content Standards
- Practice Standard 4: Analyze the purpose and point of view of each source; distinguish opinion from fact
- Grade 3: Massachusetts in the 18th century through the American Revolution
- Grade 5: Reasons for revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the formation of government
- Grades 6-8: Reading Standards for Literacy in the Content Areas: History and Social Science
- Practice and Content Standards
- MA HSS 2018 Social Studies Standards
Midnight Ride Timeline
After Paul successfully makes his now famous Midnight Ride, he can't go back to Boston, so he writes to his wife Rachel telling her what he needs and starting to coordinate getting her and the kids out of Boston.
After receiving Paul's letter from Watertown, MA, she responds with news about how the family is doing in Boston, and more details about her plans to get the kids out of town to meet him.
Paul Revere did many horseback rides that he's not famous for! This pass helped him travel by telling people that he was on official business and they should help him with food and shelter.
Years after his famous ride, his friend Jeremy Belknap asked Paul to write his story of the Midnight Ride.
In late 1860, Longfellow's poem comes out and helps make Paul Revere much more famous than he had ever been. This is how most Americans learn of Revere's actions during the Revolutionary War.
Funded in part by Julia and Mark Casady and the One Step Forward Education Foundation
Special thanks to the National Parks of Boston and Matt Conti
Design and Development by Cardinal Digital Design and Adrienne Turnbull-Reilly
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