Bob CollinsAs a son of the Bay State, I always enjoy it when politicians hit the Freedom Trail in search of a photo opportunity to somehow relate the beginning of the American Revolution to their campaign. They frequently don’t know what they’re talking about, which is ironic because the whole point of the existence of the Freedom Trail is for people to understand how the Revolution started.
Step forward, Sarah Palin…
1. Paul Revere didn’t warn the British not to take away our arms. He was riding to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were on their way to arrest them.
2 Paul Revere didn’t ring any bells. He was on a horse. However, after he was arrested he was released by the British when bells began ringing and shots were fired.
3. He didn’t ride his horse through town. He took the water route to Charlestown and then picked up the horse. The patriot leaders weren’t in town, that’s why he had to ride to warn them. They were hiding in outlying areas.
These factoids tend to trip up presidential candidates. A few months ago, Michele Bachmann got the state wrong when she started talking about the beginning of the Revolution…
Assuming she’s following the entire Freedom Trail, her next stop should be the USS Constitution, which people probably know better as Old Ironsides. On a slow news day, we’re rather hoping someone asks about the history of the ship.
