Paul Revere Was Overrated

Yep, THOSE Pilgrims.

Produced by Matt Beat. Music by Electric Needle Room (Mr. Beat's band). All images and video either by Matt Beat, found in the public domain, or used under fair use guidelines.

Electric Needle Room's new children's album, "Just Kidding Around:"

Sources/further reading:

Paul Revere was born in Boston’s North End some time in December 1734. His dad, Apollos Rivoire, was a Huguenot silversmith who came to Massachusetts as a refugee after being persecuted in France. He later changed his name to Paul Revere, by the way, and so yeah, Paul had the same name as his dad. His mom, Deborah Hichborn, had deeper roots in Boston as her family had been around for awhile. They owned a shipping wharf.

So yeah, Paul Revere junior was the third of their 12 kids. He went to the North Writing School, but at 13 left to begin training to become a silversmith like his dad. As a teen, he was drawn to the West Church and the controversial Congregationalist minister Jonathan Mayhew, who did not hide his political views during Sunday services. Paul senior did not approve of this, by the way. He also got work as a bellringer for another famous Boston church that later became important during the Revolution, the Old North Church.

Paul senior died when Paul junior was nineteen, and Paul was expected to take over the family business, even though his silversmith training wasn’t done yet. But he was resourceful, learning how to make surgical instruments and engraved printing copper plates to make more money. Two years later, he joined the British army to fight in the French and Indian War, perhaps also for the money.

He returned from the war in the fall of 1756 and resumed working as a silversmith. The next year, he met a woman named Sarah Orne and they fell in love, getting married in August. They’d eventually have eight children together.

Revere would also eventually end up running his silver shop for 40 years, producing items ranging from simple spoons to intricate tea sets. But when times were tough, like in the years following the French and Indian War, he branched out and got creative with how he made money, making illustrations for books, magazines, business cards, and political cartoons, and he even got into some dentistry. Yep, he cleaned teeth, fastened in false teeth, and sold toothpaste.

Revere also quickly got into local politics, especially after the British kept trying to tax everything to pay for the French and Indian War. Yeah he didn’t like that so much. He became a Patriot, aka Continental, or American Whig, basically anyone who opposed British rule in the colonies. Revere became a leader in various politically active groups, like the North End Caucus, the Long Room Club, Masonic Lodge of St. Andrew, and the Sons of Liberty. He became friends with fellow Patriots like Dr. Joseph Warren, James Otis, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams.

In 1770, Revere began delivering messages for the Boston’s committees of safety, who secretly took control of local government affairs away from royal officials. That same year, he published an engraving of a famous drawing of the Boston Massacre, an incident in which British troops set fire on Bostonians. Yep, this was effective propaganda meant to get folks riled up against the British.

[iammrbeat]

🇺🇲Which historical figure should I make a video about next?🇺🇲

[UsefulCharts]

Cool. I was hoping you'd mention William Dawes. My two kids are his direct descendants. Their mom's mom's mom, who passed away just last year, was a Dawes.

[thedailybellringer]

My grandmother claimed that my family has ancestors who were among some of the other riders to ride out and warn that the British were coming. PAUL REVERE HAS STOLEN MY FAMILIES' THUNDER!

[QuixoteX]

Not actual footage? More than 100 years before the invention of a motion picture camera? You just aren't trying hard enough! :D

[jeffslote]

He may be overrated as a patriot but not as a silversmith. His work is highly regarded

[lfkbryan]

So you're saying that he is... too REVERED?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

*distant cough*

[spookypineapple]

Dude looked like Jack Black with different hair and clothes

[joryjones]

The poem may have also become popular because it was published in 1860, right before the civil war, when northerners were looking for symbols to create strong national unity.

[thealex]

Everybody knows that George Washington drived a Ford Mustang to kick the British troops from Alabama

[silobobus]

"So how many historal figures aren't what they're hyped up to be?"


Mr. Beat: B E H O L D

[TheVCRTimeMachine]

I only ever heard about the "midnight ride." I never knew about all that other stuff he did. Sounds like he was actually UNDERRATED!

[l.plantagenet]

Paul Revere was my 6th ggrandfather and was an incredibly talented silversmith whose business is still up and running today. He also started what is now considered FBI. Also, a couple of months after the battle of Bunker Hill when another awesome man, Dr. Joseph Warren was killed he and Dr. Warren's brother went to find Dr Warren's body. My grandfather performed the first recorded post morden ID by identifying the dental work he had done in the Doctor's mouth. He wasn't perfect and made mistakes, but he was an important figure in the American Revolution.

[KyleTV]

Fun fact, modern Lexington and Concord are now extremely wealthy suburbs full of rich soccer moms and white collar professionals.

[bobs]

Also forgot to mention Paul Reveres court marshal. He was acquitted, but the circumstances behind it and his actions during the retreat were muddy.

[Josh-vglj]

According to Niall Ferguson he was the most connected man during the American revolution, studying all the correspondents he had.

[thinkabout]

We always need a hero in our history. Paul is as good as any. What ? 16 kids, there you go !
Always interesting take on history. Keep up the great work. 👍 🐎 ☮

[kali]

And the only reason he's the subject of the dang poem in the first place is because Wordsworth found it easier to rhyme....

[alexism]

Paul Revere Died In May 10th, 1818 From Natural Causes. He Was 83.

[thespecialist]

Definitely gets way too much credit for the ride, but I feel like most people don't know about his other Revolutionary actions. I feel like the creation of the Bloody Massacre lithograph alone should give him some street credit.

[jpaior]

Clearly NOT sponsored by dollar shave club.