Paul Revere is best known in American history for his ride the night of April 18, 1775, to warn the countryside of approaching British troops. He was a courier for the Massachusetts Committee of Correspondence. He arrived in Lexington shortly before another rider, William Dawes, and warned John Hancock and Samuel Adams to escape. Accompanied by Dawes and Samuel Prescott, Revere set off for Concord. Of the three, only Prescott got through.

Revere's exploits were celebrated in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's famous--but inaccurate--poem, Paul Revere's Ride. Prior to his famous ride, Revere had been involved in other patriot actions, including the Boston Tea Party. He was a silversmith by trade, and he cast musket balls and cannon during the war. He also designed the first Continental currency. After the Revolutionary War, he became one of New England's leading silversmiths and a pioneer in the production of copper plating.