Most of the old myths in America continue to endure centuries after they were put in place due to the influence that such myths have on the American culture. Such myths could either be true or not true, but they carry part of the country’s historical events from the past to the present times. This essay outlines some of the most prominent myths of the West and why such myths continue to exist in the United States, which include the declaration of independence on the 14 th of July, Betsy Ross Designed and Sewed the First American Flag, and Paul Revere’s midnight ride as discussed hereinafter.
The declaration of independence was signed on the 14 th of July is a myth that made the country to assume that the date was the right day on which independence was declared. However, the reality of the declaration of independence is that Congress voted for independence on the 2 nd of July. The 4th of July was the date that the revised copy of the constitution was adopted, and the declaration date was changed, which remained to be the 4 th of July in history. The second president of the United States was convinced to believe that the 2nd of July would be an annual holiday and the date for signing the constitution became backdated to the 2 nd up to today.
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Even though Betsy Ross took part in designing the flag of the US, there is no proof to determine that she created the flag by herself (Randolph, 2001) . Designing the flag was done through collaborative efforts that were led by Francis Hopkinson as he was the original designer of most of the country’s seals and symbols. During her lifetime, Ross never declared that she was the designer, but most of her claims were based on the fact that she selected a five-pointed star over the initial six-pointed one because she found it easier to sew a five-pointed star. The myth that she took part in creating the country’s first flag resulted from the claims that came from her family. Ross’ grandson came up with a story that George Washington visited his grandmother’s store and was amazed by her skills on how fast Ross could make a star that had five ends. This pushed Gorge to request Ross to design and create the country’s flag on the spot. The story was too good not to be believed by anyone, and it remained a myth that Ross designed and sewed the United States’ flag.
The common myth that Paul Revere bravely rode alone from Boston across the colonies, shouting to warn people of the coming troops, remains to be part of history that is believed by many (Ford, 2014). If the act was to be conducted today, it would be the same thing as someone shouting “The Americans are Coming” in the streets of the US. The colonies at that time were technically British, and many people had not embraced the idea of revolution. It is obvious that if he had shouted that the British were coming, his efforts could have borne no fruits regarding the fact that he was to conduct the trip in a quiet manner so as not to be detained by the British Patrols. Shouting could have put him in trouble, and he most likely did not use the phrase “The British are Coming” because no one could have understood the message. The message could have brought more confusion than help as most people at that time considered themselves to be British.
In conclusion, the three myths remain to be significant to the US because they hold memories of great times history. They remind citizens of where the country originated from through events that took place in the past. Myths are generally considered to be a great part of history that brings past memories into the present world.
References
Ford, B. (2014). Paul Revere: American Patriot . Enslow Publishing, LLC.
Randolph, R. P. (2001). Betsy Ross: The American Flag, and Life in a Young America . The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
