5-6 The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

Listen my friend and you shall hear of the "Midnight Ride of Paul Revere."  As the colonist became angry, a group was formed called the Minutemen.  They were called Minutemen because they would be ready to fight in a minute.  The Minutemen began to gather weapons and ammunition to fight the Redcoats.  The British heard of this and began to make plans to take the weapons and ammunition away from the colonist.

Paul Revere had made plans with a friend in Boston who was keeping an eye on the British soldiers.  If and when the British started to move, he was to send a signal from high in the steeple of the church tower.  "One if by land, two if by sea."  Paul told his friend to light one lantern if the British troops were marching by land and two lanterns if the British troops were coming across the bay by water.

One evening two lamps shone in the steeple of the Old North Church.  Paul Revere knew the British were coming by sea.  He rowed by the British boats to the shore on the other side of the bay, jumped on a horse and rode off to warn the towns people.  He rode through the town and yelled, "The Redcoats are coming! The Redcoats are coming!"  The Minutemen dressed and grabbed their muskets.  The Revolutionary War was about to begin!

The British were also know as the

Redcoats.
Bluecoats.
Minutemen.

The colonist called themselves Minutemen because

they were only able to fight one minute.
they could fire a weapon in less than a minute.
they were ready to fight in a minute.

"One if by land, two if by sea!" meant

One army by land, two armies by sea
One lantern if the British come by land, and two if by sea.
One shot if by land, two shots if by sea.

The British were unhappy with the colonist gathering

tea.
weapons and ammunition.
money.

Paul Revere rode through the night yelling,

The Yanks are coming!
The town is on fire!
The Redcoats are coming!