Great Myths in History

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere• The Myth– During the late night hours

of April 18, 1775, famed patriot Paul Revere rides through the New England countryside alerting the colonists that the British Army is arriving by boat.

– Charged through the villages yelling “The British Are Coming, The British Are Coming!”

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

• Paul Revere really did ride with two other men that night to alert colonists.

• It is NOT TRUE that Revere yelled out “The British Are Coming!” British guards were everywhere and Revere would have been arrested within minutes.

• Revere was actually arrested in the night and held until the following morning. The other two riders were able to alert enough militia to meet the British the following day at Lexington and Concord.

• Final Decision --- So False, mostly.

Christopher Columbus and His Voyage

• The Myth– Famed Spanish explorer pleaded with the King

and Queen of Spain to fund a trip to find a faster way to the Far East.

– King and Queen reluctantly gave into his requests mostly because if he succeeded businessmen in Spain would profit greatly and become an ally of the King and Queen.

– Not only discovered that the world was round, he often is given credit for discovering America!

Christopher Columbus and His Voyage

• Columbus did not discover the world was round. That had been discovered nearly 2,000 years earlier by a man named Pythagoras.

• Columbus found Central and South America. He himself died thinking he had found the far borders of Asia.

• Final Decision – So False.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

THIS NEVER HAPPENED!!! So False!

Betsy Ross• The Myth– George Washington

visited Ross in Philadelphia in June of 1776 and needed a symbol for the now rebelling colonies.

– Ross went to work and created a flag with red and white alternating bars representing the original thirteen colonies.

– Considered the creator of the American Flag.

Betsy Ross

• The Truth– Evidence does suggest Washington was in

Philadelphia in June of 1776. That’s it.– The legend of Betsy Ross meeting with

Washington and creating the first flag was actually never mentioned until the mid 1830’s when her grandson began clamoring about it. However, he had no proof to back his story.

– Final Decision – False, unless someone has actual proof.

The Great Chicago Fire and Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow

• The Myth– Mrs. O’Leary’s cow

kicked over a lantern and started a fire on October 8, 1871 and burned until October 10, 1871.

– Fired killed hundreds and destroyed hundreds of buildings.

The Great Chicago Fire and Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow

• The Truth– Newspaper reporter Michael Ahern wrote shortly

after that O’Leary’s cow kicked a lantern over and the fire spread from her barn. Since the fire started there everyone believed him.

– Unfortunately he later admitted before he died that yes, he did make up the story to sell papers.

– Final Decision – So False!

George Washington• The Myths–He had wooden teeth made for him by

Paul Revere.–He chopped down a cherry tree.

George Washington

• The Truth– Not True! Washington had false teeth made by

someone other than Paul Revere. The teeth were made from ivory and animal teeth.

– Not True! Washington never cut down his father’s cherry tree. Both legends were created by a biographer.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

THIS STILL NEVER HAPPENED!!! I mean really, the greatest president in history hunting vampires? Thanks Twilight.

Thomas Edison and the Light Bulb• The Myth– Thomas Edison invented

the first working light bulb.

• The Truth– Edison was the second to

invent the light bulb. Joseph Swan patented the idea in 1845. Edison just improved it.

Charge of the Polish Cavalry

• The Myth– During the final days of the invasion of Poland by Nazi

Germany, Polish troops outnumbered and knowing defeat is near, charge the last of their mounted cavalry into German tanks.

• The Truth– Polish Armed forces did have cavalry divisions. They

were trained to move quickly to engage infantry and tanks.

– They never, however, charged the tanks. The myth was made up surprisingly by the German army.

Independence Day

• The Myth– Founding fathers

signed an official declaration of independence from Great Britain.

– Members of the 2nd Continental Congress marched forward and signed the document.

Independence Day• The Truth– The idea of independence was actually suggested by

Richard Henry Lee (Great Uncle of Robert E. Lee) in June of 1776.

– Congress accepted the resolution on July 2, 1776.– Congress accepted the document that became the

declaration of independence on July 4. – The entire document wasn’t signed until 1781. – Final Decision – Technically speaking, False.