Main content

Paul Revere's Midnight Ride

A 400-year journey into the creation of the United States with writer Joe Queenan.

Paul Revere was the Boston silversmith who rode just over 12 miles to warn the rebels that the British were coming. The year was 1775, the eve of the American Revolution. Over eight decades later Henry Longfellow wrote the poem that made Revere an immortal. Paul Revere's Ride is a famous part of the national tale, but, as Joe Queenan points out, Longfellow famously left out the other men who rode with Revere because:
a) history works better when it's simple
b) Longfellow couldn't find rhymes for their more complicated names.

Presented by the satirist Joe Queenan, with archive contributions from Carole Berkin and Andrew Sachs reading Paul Revere's Ride.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

Available now

14 minutes

Broadcast

  • Wed 2 Sep 2020 13:45