What was William Dawes known for?
William Dawes Jr. (April 6, 1745 – February 25, 1799) was one of several men who in April 1775 alerted colonial minutemen in Massachusetts of the approach of British army troops prior to the Battles of Lexington and Concord at the outset of the American Revolution.
Why is William Dawes important in history?
William Dawes Jr (April 6, 1745 – February 25, 1799) was born in Massachusetts Bay Colony and is one of the many riders that rode to alarm the militia leaders of the marching British soldiers. His alarm happened prior to the Battles of Lexington and Concord and allowed the minutemen to muster.
What did William Dawes write?
He was also called to write a testimony of what happened the night of April 18, 1775 that was published by the Massachusetts Historical Society and later used by historians. Dawes was also politically active before the revolution, but he did not go beyond the call of duty the night of the ride.
Did William Dawes get caught?
While every schoolchild knows of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, Dawes made an even more daring gallop out of Boston that same April night in 1775. Unlike his silversmith counterpart, he managed to evade capture by the British.
Why is the battle of Lexington and Concord important?
The Battles of Lexington and Concord on 19 April 1775, the famous ‘shot heard ’round the world’, marked the start of the American War of Independence (1775-83). Politically disastrous for the British, it persuaded many Americans to take up arms and support the cause of independence.
Who wrote Midnight Ride of Paul Revere?
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Paul Revere’s Ride/Authors
The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed, And the midnight message of Paul Revere. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, one of the “Fireside Poets,” wrote lyrical poems about history, mythology, and legend that were popular and widely translated, making him the most famous American of his day.
What happened at the Battle of Lexington?
The Battles of Lexington and Concord signaled the start of the American Revolutionary war on April 19, 1775. The British Army set out from Boston to capture rebel leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington as well as to destroy the Americans store of weapons and ammunition in Concord.
Why did the British go to Lexington?
The British marched into Lexington and Concord intending to suppress the possibility of rebellion by seizing weapons from the colonists. Instead, their actions sparked the first battle of the Revolutionary War.
What did the British find at Concord?
After order was restored, the British soldiers began the march to Concord, where militias from Concord and the nearby town of Lincoln were waiting. After the British found and destroyed rebel weapons caches, they squared off against the colonial forces at the North Bridge.
What were the results of fighting at Lexington and Concord?
The Battles of Lexington and Concord took a toll on both sides. For the colonists, 49 were killed, 39 were wounded, and five were missing. For the British, 73 were killed, 174 were wounded, and 26 were missing. The battles also constituted the first military conflicts of the American Revolution.
What form is Paul Revere’s Ride written in?
Structure of Paul Revere’s Ride ‘Paul Revere’s Ride’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a ten stanza poem that is separated into uneven stanzas or lines. The shortest stanza is five lines and the longest is twenty-seven lines long.
Where was William Dawes born and when was he born?
Dawes was born in Boston on April 6, 1745. He was the second of twelve children born to William Dawes and Lydia Boone.
How did William Dawes make it to Lexington?
However Dawes did it, he made it in the nick of time. Shortly after he passed through the guardhouse, the British halted all travel out of Boston.” Unlike Revere, Dawes didn’t stop to alert colonial minutemen during his ride and instead rode straight on to Lexington.
Who are the great-grandchildren of William Dawes?
William Dawes’ great-grandson, Rufus Dawes, was a Civil War military officer and congressman. Rufus Dawes’ children included Charles G. Dawes, who served as Vice President of the United States under Calvin Coolidge, Rufus C. Dawes, a businessman, Beman Gates Dawes, a businessman and congressman, and Henry M. Dawes, a businessman and banker.
When did William Dawes get married to Mehitable May?
On May 3, 1768, Dawes married Mehitable May, the daughter of Samuel and Catherine May (née Mears). The Boston Gazette noted that for his wedding, he wore a suit entirely made in North America. At the time, Whigs were trying to organize a boycott of British products in order to pressure Parliament to repeal the Townshend Acts .