Introduction
Paul Revere, a Massachusetts silversmith and professional courier, was in the city of Concord when news came that Parliament had ordered the Army to move against its own people. With no time to lose, he was despatched on an errand which proved to be the spark that ignited a revolution.
FOLLOWING Samuel Adams’s ‘Boston Tea Party’ protest in 1773,* London quartered some three thousand soldiers from the Regular army all around the port, with orders to destroy the rebels’ stockpile of weapons at Concord, and arrest Adams and John Hancock, then in Lexington.
Paul Revere was hastily despatched on a midnight ride to Lexington, to warn Adams and Hancock, and to urge the people along his route, most of whom still thought of themselves as ‘British’, to decide what that really meant to them, before the Regulars came.
After he was captured by a patrol, he even warned the soldiers of the dangers they faced. But though they released him, they took no heed.
At dawn on April 19, 1775, even as Revere was smuggling Adams and Hancock out of the town, shots were fired on Lexington Common, and later at North Bridge in Concord; but by this time thousands had made up their minds that being ‘British’ meant being free.
The revolution had begun.
See The Boston Tea Party.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Although. Mind. Take.
2 Around. Mean. Time.
3 Decide. Rebel. Three.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Confusables Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that are similar to one another, but not exactly the same. Compose your own sentences to bring out the similarities and differences between them, whether in meaning, grammar or use.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Fire. 2. Mean. 3. Still. 4. Order. 5. Free. 6. Even.
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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