USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Paul Revere arranged to have a signal lit in the Old North Church – one lantern if the British were coming by land and two lanterns if they were coming by sea – and began to make preparations for his ride to alert the local militias and citizens about the impending attack. “One if by land, and two if by sea.”

Detailed explanation-2: -Old North Church (officially, Christ Church in the City of Boston), at 193 Salem Street, in the North End, Boston, is the location from which the famous “One if by land, two if by sea” signal is said to have been sent.

Detailed explanation-3: -Paul Revere Lantern He ordered fellow Patriots to set two lighted lanterns in the belfry of Boston’s Christ Church (Old North Church). This prearranged signal was intended for the Patriot leaders across the Charles River in Charlestown and indicated the route of the British march.

Detailed explanation-4: -As we all know, two lanterns were hung on April 18, 1775, warning Revere and his compatriots that the British were using the quicker seaside route, and thus Lexington prepared for battle long before the Redcoats attacked. That much is history.

Detailed explanation-5: -What does the phrase “One if by land, two if by sea” mean? It was in a poem, presumably telling the American signal people how the British military were to arrive to attack the American colonists. In some church tower, one lamp meant the land route. Two lamps meant the sea route.