MassachusettsHISTORY EXPLORERS GRADES 3–8
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Quick glossary
evidence
Information from a source that helps us test a claim.
source
A document, object, image, or account we can examine.
inference
An explanation based on clues; it still needs checking.
migration
Moving from one place to another to live.
immigrant
A person who moves to another country to live.
estimate
An approximate amount, based on available information.
oral history
A recorded interview about someone’s memories and experiences.
community
People connected by a place, relationships, or shared activities.
ancestry
Family origins across generations.
primary source
Evidence created by someone who experienced a time or event.

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Paul Revere

1734–1818

Portrait of Paul Revere
Paul Revere Image source & credit ↗
Massachusetts connection

Boston; Canton

Paul Revere was a Boston silversmith, engraver, messenger, and manufacturer. His metalworking required careful design and practical skill, while his political networks helped him carry important news. On April 18, 1775, he rode to warn that British troops were moving toward Lexington and Concord. Other riders and local people also spread the alarm, making it a community effort. Revere later expanded into bell casting and copper production, including a mill in Canton. His life connects the famous midnight ride with the less familiar history of skilled labor, business, and early American industry.

You can use your device’s reading tools or read with a partner.

Find a detail. Build an idea.

  1. What did this person or group do? Point to a detail in the reading.
  2. How can making art, teaching, or caring for others change a community?
  3. What would you like to find out next? Which kind of source could help?

“Paul Revere mattered because ___. A detail that supports my idea is ___.”

Grades 6–8: dig deeper

How does learning about other alarm riders change a story centered on Paul Revere alone?

Follow the evidence.

This short reading is an original classroom summary. Open the source with your teacher to check details and learn more.

Read the source: paulreverehouse.org ↗

Ask: Who made this source? What can it tell us? What might it leave out?

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