Historic Lies
Have you ever experienced an awkward lull in a conversation, and you just couldn’t think of what to say? Don’t just walk away! Become an expert on a couple random, miscellaneous topics so that you always sound interesting! Here is a nifty conversation topic you could bring up!
Conversation about the weather awkwardly trails off… its raining… we all know it. There’s not much else to say.
Hey, did you know that Paul Revere didn’t complete the midnight ride to warn the colonists that the British were coming? That night there were actually two other riders with him: Samuel Prescott and William Dawes. Besides these three, there were also numerous other men that they encountered during the night who helped spread the message. More than one messenger was necessary because if one got captured, the others could continue. Dawes was sent out of Boston with instructions to take the land route to Lexington while Revere was sent by the water route. Prescott joined Dawes and Revere on accident. He was on his way home when he ran into the two on their way to Concord. Since he was familiar with the area, he offered to help spread the message. Thank goodness he joined the first two since when the trio came upon British patrols, Prescott was the only one to escape. He was able to continue to spread the word, and he was the only one out of the original three riders to make it to Concord.
Paul Revere depicted on the night of April 18, 1775
It’s funny that Paul Revere receives most of the credit for that night. The reason he is the most well known rider who warned the colonists is because his name was the best for rhyming and his journey was commemorated in the famous poem Paul Revere’s Ride. A couple years ago a woman made a parody of the poem with Dawes as the main protagonist. The poem talks about what both Revere and Dawes accomplished that night, but the humor lies in the line, “What was the use, when my name was Dawes!”
An excerpt from Paul Revere’s Ride written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Also, as Paul Revere rode along, he didn’t shout “the British are coming!” The colonists still thought of themselves as british at that point, so they wouldn’t have understood the message. Instead he shouted “the Regulars are coming!”
Along the point of historic lies, did you know Pocahontas didn’t marry John Smith as the popular disney story portrays? Although John Smith was in the area at the time, and they likely did meet, Pocahontas married another English colonist named John Rolfe. I suppose this is just a lesson to learn: you really can’t believe everything people tell you.
Pocahontas and her true husband John Rolfe
So whats your favorite disney movie…
A dull conversation about the weather turned into a historic saga! Now you are ready to get on a more personal level with the person you are conversing with by asking them what they’re interested in! Great job!
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One Response to “Historic Lies”
This was honestly one of the most entertaining and unique blog posts I have read thus far! There are definitely plenty of moments throughout the day when you get stuck in an awkward conversation, which you really cannot work your way of it without being rude or awkward yourself. So, not only was this post enjoyable to read, but it was also useful and informative. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to reading your next one!