Product Description

He risked everything to free his nation. Now venture into the incredible life and legacy of Paul Revere the master silversmith who forever change the course of American history.System Requirements: Running Time 50 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: NR UPC: 733961718331 Manufacturer No: AAE-71833

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #43520 in DVD
• Brand: A&E
• Released on: 2005-04-26
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 50 minutes

Features

• He risked everything to free his nation. Now venture into the incredible life and legacy of Paul Revere, the master silversmith who forever change the course of American history. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES Rating: NR Age: 733961718331 UPC: 733961718331 Manufacturer No: AAE-71833

Customer Reviews

Go beyond the myth to discover the real Paul Revere
Paul Revere is one of our most honored heroes of the Revolution, but - as this video makes clear - the famous story of his midnight ride is a little less than accurate. The Paul Revere most of us know is basically a mythological hero, one who was borne from the pages of an 1861 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Just because the traditional story isn't true doesn't mean Paul Revere was not a great patriot, of course - he was, as viewers of this video will learn.

Economic self-interest seemed to play a role in Revere's Revolutionary ardor, but no one can question his commitment to the cause. As English taxes began to hurt his smithing business, Revere turned to additional means to support his growing family - he learned dentistry (and even made false teeth), and he also practiced the art of engraving. In fact, many of his propagandistic engravings played an important role in the buildup of popular support in Boston for the inevitable Revolutionary War (although he was known to copy the work of others). In the months and years leading up to the outbreak of war, Revere joined a number of secret societies and organized what was essentially a spy network of artisans and men of the working class. He also became an important courier for the Patriot cause. Revere himself, while rather successful in business, was not of the upper class - and this helps explain why history tells us little of him in the years following his famous ride.

On the night of April 18, 1775, Revere did indeed ride out on horseback to spread the word of British troops on the move, but he was only one of many such "midnight riders." The lights in the church tower were actually meant to inform those in the distance in case Revere was unable to get through and deliver his message. He did alert farmers and villagers along the way, but he would not have said "The British are coming" because, as one historian explains, he and all the Revolutionaries were themselves British. Before reaching Lexington, Revere was actually captured by a couple of redcoats, but he basically bluffed his way to freedom (although he did lose his horse) and was there in Lexington to hear "the shot fired round the world."

You really never hear of Paul Revere after that momentous April night in 1775; it's a mixed story. His middle class status denied him the privilege of serving as an officer in the war, but he did help lead one significant mission, the largest amphibious assault of the war - it was, to put it lightly a disaster, and Revere ended up being accused of insubordination and cowardice. He fought for the right to a court-martial hearing and was eventually acquitted of all charges. After that, he basically built up his business, expanded into a number of new industries, and died a rather wealthy man at the age of 83.

We might never have heard of Paul Revere had not Henry Wadsworth Longfellow immortalized him in poetic form, but he was an important Patriot in the fight for American independence. As a man who in many ways represented the artisan and lower classes, his life is a conduit to the thoughts and deeds of many an unsung hero of the Revolution. Personally, I have no problem with perpetuating the myth of the midnight ride, but getting to know the real Paul Revere is also an instructional privilege.

The life of Revere rather than only the well-known event
All American children learn about the �midnight ride of Paul Revere� in elementary school. However, that event was only one of many things he did in the struggle that separated the American colonies from Great Britain. Furthermore, it did not really occur in the way that it is described in the famous poem, so this tape is a way to learn what really happened. He was originally a silversmith, and he used those skills to construct anti-British propaganda, which is still admired for the artistic expression today. Revere was also one of the Sons of Liberty and helped organize the famous Boston Tea Party.
He rose to the rank of Colonel in the Continental army, although his military record is dubious, albeit somewhat unclear. It is highly likely that his most important contribution to the new nation was his role in manufacturing after the war was over. Like all colonies that gain independence, the newly freed colonies were lacking many of the economic assets that nations need, for they had previously been supplied by the colonial power. His business activity after the war helped provide some economic stability to the struggling new nation.
Like so many people who are identified with one event, Revere�s life was far more interesting and historically significant than that event would indicate. I enjoyed this video, the re-creations with actors give it a reality that nothing else can provide. The depth of examination into his life beyond one event makes me hope that all school children view it so that they can see his many contributions to the fight for independence.