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paul revere primary sources for kids - Google Search

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Newsela | Primary Sources: The Ride of Paul Revere 885 × 497 - 153k - jpg newsela.com

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Revere supplemented his income with other business ventures. During the economic depression that followed the French and Indian War, Revere began working as a copperplate engraver. He produced illustrations for books and magazines, business cards, political cartoons, bookplates, a song book, and bills of fare for taverns. He also practiced as a dentist from 1768 to 1775, to the extent that his time and skills allowed. He cleaned teeth, fastened in false teeth and sold toothpaste. Contrary to popular myth, he did not make George Washington's false teeth. There is no evidence he made full sets of dentures.
Revere's silversmith shop
Political Activities / Revolutionary War

Revere's political involvement arose through his connections with members of local organizations and his business patrons. As a member of the Masonic Lodge of St. Andrew, he was friendly with activists like Dr. Joseph Warren. In the year before the Revolution, Revere gathered intelligence by "watching the Movements of British Soldiers," as he wrote in a 1798 account of his ride. He was a courier for the Boston Committee of Correspondence and the Massachusetts Committee of Safety, riding express to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. As a member of the North Caucus, Revere took part in meetings that planned the destruction of East India Company Tea in December 1773. The next day, he spread the word of the Boston Tea Party to New York and Philadelphia.

The Midnight Ride

The Midnight Ride, including map and images.

At 10 pm on the night of April 18, 1775, Revere received instructions from Dr. Joseph Warren to ride to Lexington to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the British approach. Following the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Revere and his family lived in Watertown, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. During this time Revere printed paper currency for the Massachusetts government, and helped to acquire powder and ammunition for the colonial troops. Revere went on to serve as lieutenant colonel in the Massachusetts State Train of Artillery and commander of Castle Island in Boston Harbor. Revere and his troops saw little action at this post, but they did participate in minor expeditions to Newport, Rhode Island and Worcester, Mass. Revere's rather undistinguished military career ended with the failed Penobscot expedition in 1779.

In the summer of 1779, Paul Revere was appointed commander of the field artillery in a large multi-colony expedition sent to the Maine district of Massachusetts (now the state of Maine) to capture a small British fort at Castine, near the mouth of the Penobscot River. Lack of cooperation between the naval and land forces virtually guaranteed that little would be accomplished before a British relief squadron arrived and trapped the American expedition in Penobscot Bay. An orderly retreat up the Penobscot River quickly turned into a panicked rout, with vessels exploding, being run aground, and scuttled to prevent their falling into enemy hands. The American land forces became scattered and most made their way back to Boston on foot.

Accused of cowardice and insubordination, Revere was unhappy with the results of a Board of Inquiry, which did not rule on his case one way or the other. Determined to receive a proper hearing, Revere petitioned the Massachusetts government seven times for a court-martial before one was finally convened in February of 1782. The court-martial ruled that Revere be found not guilty of all charges, although the language in the second charge was somewhat equivocal. Revere accepted the result as a vindication of his honor, and returned to his business activities.

Lecture all about Paul Revere's court-martial.

Paul Revere Industrialist - Post War Businesses

Revere expanded his business interests in the years following the Revolution. His plan was to turn the day-to-day operations of his silver shop over to his oldest son, Paul, Jr. and use the profits to invest in new businesses. From 1783 to 1789 he operated a hardware store in downtown Boston where he sold locally made and imported English goods, including hammers, chisels, ink stands, looking glasses, and rolls of wallpaper. At times he operated his silver shop and hardware store at the same location. By 1788 he had opened a foundry which supplied bolts, spikes, and nails for shipyards in Boston and elsewhere (including brass fittings for USS Constitution), produced cannons of various sizes and, after 1792, cast bells. One of his largest bells still rings in Boston's Kings Chapel.

Concerned that the United States had to import sheet copper from England, Revere opened the first successful copper rolling mill in North America in 1801. He provided copper sheeting for the hull of USS Constitution when it was re-coppered and the dome of the new Massachusetts State House in 1802. Revere Copper and Brass, Inc., the descendent of Revere's rolling mill, is best known for "Revere Ware" copper-bottomed pots and pans. Revere Ware is now manufactured by a different company.

Details on Revere's other businesses.

Community Involvements

Revere's community and social involvements were extensive. He was an active Freemason for many years, beginning in 1760, holding several offices in St. Andrew's and Rising States Lodges. He also served as Grand Master of the Massachusetts Grand Lodge for three years in the 1790s. A member of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanics Association, Revere also served as the association's first president. Founded in 1794, the group was an organization of artisans and small businessmen who sought to improve the conditions under which their peers worked, and aided members in "distressed" circumstances. Revere also served as Suffolk County Coroner for several years in the 1790s, and as President of Boston's Board of Health in 1799 and 1800.

Last Years

In 1811, at the age of 76, Paul Revere retired and left his well-established copper business in the hands of his son Joseph Warren Revere and two of his grandsons. Revere seems to have remained healthy in his final years, despite the personal sorrow caused by the deaths of his wife Rachel and son Paul in 1813. Revere died of natural causes on May 10, 1818 at the age of 83, leaving five children, several grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren. The son of an immigrant artisan, not born to wealth or inheritance, Revere died a modestly well-to-do businessman and a popular local figure of some note. An obituary in the Boston Intelligencer commented, "seldom has the tomb closed upon a life so honorable and useful." Paul Revere is buried in Boston's Granary Burying Ground.

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Revere supplemented his income with other business ventures. During the economic depression that followed the French and Indian War, Revere began working as a copperplate engraver. He produced illustrations for books and magazines, business cards, political cartoons, bookplates, a song book, and bills of fare for taverns.

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Paul Revere | Biography, Midnight Ride, Boston Massacre, & Facts

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Paul Revere, folk hero of the American Revolution whose dramatic horseback ride on the night of April 18, 1775, warning Boston-area residents that the British were coming, was immortalized in a ballad by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Learn more about Revere’s life in this article.

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Paul Revere was an American silversmith, an engraver, and a Patriot in the American Revolution. He is best known for his famous ride to warn the colonists of the approaching British forces.
See the fact file below for more information on the Paul Revere or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Paul Revere worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information

EARLY AND PERSONAL LIFE

Born on January 1, 1735, Paul Revere was the son of a French Huguenot immigrant, Apollos Rivoire and Deborah Hichborn, from an artisan family in Boston, Massachusetts.

Young Paul was able to receive sufficient education, but with the influence of his father, he spent most of his time making silver articles, copper plates, and surgical instruments.

At the age of 22, Paul married his first wife, Sarah Orne, with whom he had eight children.

When his wife died after giving birth to their last child, he then married Rachel Walker and had eight more children.

As a silversmith, he created pieces ranging from spoons to full tea sets. During tough times, Revere would advertise as a dentist. He would clean teeth, but also wire in false teeth made from walrus ivory or animal teeth.

REVOLUTIONARY CAUSE

In 1765, Paul became a member of the militant group, the Sons of Liberty. This political group wanted liberty for the colonies.

Other famous members included the American Patriots John Adams, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and John Hancock.

Paul Revere was a ringleader in the Boston Tea Party. The event happened on December 16, 1773, when colonists disguised as Indians dumped tea into the harbor from the Dartmouth and two other ships. He might also have been present in the Boston Massacre (as called by the colonists).

His most famous engraving, The Bloody Massacre in King Street was engraved in copper in 1770.

In April of 1775, there was a rumor that the British Army, stationed in Boston, were preparing to advance. It was thought they would make their move on the leaders of the Sons of Liberty and other American Patriots.

The Sons of Liberty were watching the British closely and were able to send riders to warn the colonists. Paul Revere helped to warn the colonists that the British were coming. Both Revere and William Dawes set out to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington - both riders setting out on different routes. Revere also told other riders along the way to pass on the warning and by the end of the night, there were as many as 40 riders carrying the warning.

He also used a warning system that involved using lanterns. Revere instructed Robert Newman, the sexton of the North Church, to set lanterns in the steeple of the Old North Church as an alert to colonists in Charleston.

One lantern meant the British were coming by land and two mean they were coming by sea.

This is well known today by the phrase "one if by land, two if by sea".

During the ride, Revere was detained by British troops. Dr. Joseph Warren told Revere and Dawes that the British were approaching Lexington along the Charles River. After warning Lexington, they rode on towards Concord but were detained by British soldiers. They escaped and Paul Revere walked back to John Hancock so that he could help him and his family to escape Lexington.

He did not yell "the British are coming!". This quote is often attributed to Paul Revere, but his mission was one of secrecy because the countryside was filled with British army patrols and Massachusetts colonists - most of which still thought of themselves as British. Revere's actual warning, according to eyewitness accounts and his own description, was "The Regulars are coming out."

AFTER THE REVOLUTION

He was not famous during his lifetime. His story and life only became famous in 1861 when Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the poem "Paul Revere's Ride", detailing the midnight ride to warn the colonists of the British approach.

After the American Revolution, Revere ran a small hardware store. The store imported goods from England and, in 1788, he opened a foundry (metal factory), making bolds, spikes, and nails for shipyards in the North End, as well as cannons and cast bells.

In 1811, he retired at the age of 76. He left his copper business to his sons and grandsons. His wife Rachel and son Paul both died two years later, in 1813.

Paul Revere died on May 10, 1818. He was 83 years old and left five children, along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is buried in Boston's Granary Burying Ground.

Paul Revere Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Paul Revere across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Paul Revere worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Paul Revere who was an American silversmith, an engraver, and a Patriot in the American Revolution. He is best known for his famous ride to warn the colonists of the approaching British forces.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

Paul Revere Facts

The Rider

Sons of Liberty

A Day in Boston

The Midnight Ride

Patriot Acrostic

Not the British Are Coming?

Revere's Lanterns

Job Description

Amazing Revolution

The Regulars Are Coming!

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Paul Revere Biography, Facts and Worksheets For Kids

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Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version Download sample Paul Revere was an American silversmith, an engraver, and a Patriot in the American Revolution. He is best known for his famous ride to warn the colonists of the approaching British forces.

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Paul Revere is known for his midnight ride, but what about the rest of his life? He was no stranger to hard work and challenge, and he had a strong love of family and country.
Fun Facts

Paul Revere's father grew up in Midi, France, a beautiful farming area. His family were Huguenots, a specific religion, which the king of France did not like.

The king made a law that if the Huguenots in France would change their religion, they could stay. Otherwise, they had to leave or face persecution, imprisonment, loss of property, or even death.

Paul Revere's grandparents were too old to leave, but they wanted their son to have a better life. When he was thirteen, they put him on a boat, knowing they would never see him again.

Paul's father sailed to Guernsey, off the coast of England, and then to America. An uncle paid for his passage on the ship and sent money for the boy to be apprenticed to a silversmith in Boston.

The boy was homesick. He couldn't speak English and the other boys in Boston teased him. He worked hard, learning to speak English and to mold silver. He changed his French name, Apollos Rivoire, to Paul Revere, which was easier for the English to pronounce.

But he never forgot his French name, which means He taught his son, Paul Revere, "Take the oak as your pattern of life, for it is a strong and useful tree. There are many trees more showy than the oak, but none is so staunch, so honorable, and so good." (America's Paul Revere by Esther Forbes, 1974).

Paul Revere went to school until he was thirteen, learning how to read, write, and do sums. After that, he began to learn the silversmith trade with his father. He worked hard and became one of the best silversmiths in Boston, if not all of New England.

When Paul was eighteen, his father died, leaving the shop to him. He had to work hard to provide for the family and take care of his mother, who lived with him all her life.

When Paul was twenty one, he went to fight in the French and Indian War, leaving his mother to manage the home and care for her five younger children. He was a good soldier, but he was glad to come back to Boston a year later.

He married Sarah Orne and they lived in his father's house. Paul was becoming a famous silversmith.

The British tax laws soon made it difficult for people to trade in Boston. Everyone, including Paul, was poor. Paul learned to make copper plates and he also learned dentistry since silver was expensive and few people could afford it anymore.

Paul Revere belonged to a political group that met at a tavern, The Green Dragon, to discuss what to do about the British. He was there during the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.

And on the night of April 18, 1775, Dr. Joseph Warren asked Paul Revere to ride to Lexington to warn John Hanco-ck and Samuel Adams of a conspiracy to capture them, and then to ride to Concord to warn the colonists that the British were coming to take a stockpile of weapons and arms. Paul Revere rode through the night, with his lesser known partner, William Dawes, alerting towns along the way. Revere was captured by the British, but eventually released.

When the war was over, Paul Revere went back to being a silversmith. He made beautiful church bells, one of which is in King's Chapel in Boston. You can also still see his house if you visit Boston.

Learn More
Watch a video about Paul Revere's ride.

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Declan, Tobin. " Facts about Paul Revere during the Revolutionary War ." American History for Kids, Jan 2022. Web. 22 Jan 2022. < https://www.americanhistoryforkids.com/paul-revere/ >.

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Tobin, Declan. (2022). Facts about Paul Revere during the Revolutionary War. American History for Kids. Retrieved from https://www.americanhistoryforkids.com/paul-revere/

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Facts about Paul Revere during the Revolutionary War

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Paul Revere is known for his midnight ride, but what about the rest of his life? He was no stranger to hard work and challenge, and he had a strong love of family and country. Fun Facts Paul Revere's father grew up in Midi, France, a beautiful farming area.

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Liberty's Kids 105 - The Midnight Ride with Paul Revere & William Dawes | History Cartoons for Kids

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Kids learn about Paul Revere's famous ride of warning the patriots about the British; major event in the American Revolutionary War.