As some of you may know, I am a lover of all things to do with the Revolutionary War. So, as July 4th looms, I wanted to clear up some common inaccuracies and misconceptions that many Americans still have today about our own history. I get irked when I hear these fallacies, so I decided to clear things up a bit once and for all! So, sit back, drink some beer because I know you are probably at a 4th of July party and get ready to get educated!
1. George Washington had wooden teeth
No. This is false. While Washington did have poor dental health (as did everyone during the time), he had many sets of false teeth – none of which were made of wood. Washington did however, have false teeth made from ivory, gold, animal teeth such as from donkeys or horses, and some teeth even came from slaves. Washington never took teeth from slaves, but he paid for them.
2. There were 13 original colonies that rebelled against Great Britain
While 13 colonies gained their independence after the Treaty of Paris, there were only 12 colonies that rebelled from Great Britain’s rule in 1775. Delaware was part of Pennsylvania until June 15th, 1776 when Delaware declared itself an independent state.
3. Betsey Ross designed the first American flag
Unfortunately, what we were taught as children is not true. The first record of Betsy Ross “creating” the first American flag was in 1870. Her grandson stated this account nearly 100 years later and there is no other factual evidence she created the first American flag.
4. The Battle of Bunker Hill
Due to many unknown circumstances, whether Colonel Prescott mistakenly fortified the wrong hill or General Gage attacked the wrong hill, the Battle of Bunker Hill did not actually take place on Bunker Hill at all. Instead, the Battle of Bunker Hill took place on Breed’s Hill. Both hills overlook Boston harbor and were critical vantage points. However, the well-known Battle of Bunker Hill, well, it was actually fought on Breed’s Hill. Oops!
5. Paul Revere yelled “The British are coming!” on April 18th, 1775
Paul Revere yelled no such thing. If he yelled “The British are coming!” that would have left many colonists confused because many of them still considered themselves to be British. Instead, Revere most likely yelled “The Regulars are coming!” or “The Redcoats are coming!” The saying “The British are coming!” most likely started from Longfellow’s Paul Revere’s Ride poem.
6. The only person on the Midnight Ride was Paul Revere
Actually, there were two other members of the famous Midnight Ride, however, they get very little credit. While Dr. Joseph Warren set in motion the Midnight Ride, Dr. Samuel Prescott and William Dawes accompanied Revere on alarming the colonial militia and other colonists, including John Adams and John Hancock of their impending arrest by the Regulars. It was Dawes and Revere that first embarked on the Midnight Ride from Charlestown igniting the “one if by land, two if by sea” alarm as well. During their ride, they met up with Dr. Samuel Prescott and continued to give word on the Regulars’ march toward Concord and Lexington. While Revere, Dawes, and Prescott were all captured during their ride, Prescott escaped almost immediately, Dawes soon after, and Revere was held by the Regulars the longest.
7. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th, 1776
There are many misconceptions about the Declaration of Independence. One, nowhere in the document does it say “Declaration of Independence.” Second, the Second Continental Congress declared independence from Great Britain and approved the final document written by Thomas Jefferson on July 2nd, 1776. Third, the signers of the document were not revealed until a year later, January 18th, 1777. This is because the British considered the declaration an act of treason and the signers essentially signed their death warrants by signing the document that declared the colonies independent. Fourth, the colonies did not gain independence from Great Britain and become the United States of America until the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3rd, 1783.
You may return to your regularly scheduled party and beer. Go forth and be better informed about your country!
References in case you want more information:
The American Revolution. (n.d.). The Battle of Bunker (Breed’s) Hill. Retrieved from http://theamericanrevolution.org/battledetail.aspx...
CBS Detroit. (2013). Early American history myths you probably believe. Retrieved from http://detroit.cbslocal.com/top-lists/early-americ...
The Paul Revere House. (2013). The Midnight Ride. Retrieved from https://www.paulreverehouse.org/ride/
