Paul Revere was a Boston silversmith and colonial militia officer, extremely notable for his role in the American revolutionary war for which he is remembered as the archetypal patriot and a folk hero of sorts.
Born in Northern Boston on January 1st 1735 to parents of French origins, Revere experienced an ordinary childhood before becoming an apprentice silversmith at the age of 13, a profession that dominated most of his life either side of his military career in the revolutionary war and the events that preceded it. Revere's military involvement began with a brief stint in the British provincial army against the French in the 'French and Indian War' before he returned to Boston, now as the master of his father's silver shop. However, Revere truly rose to prominence for his role in organising resistance against the British stamp act of 1765, and for his role as a ringleader in the organisation and execution of the 'Boston Tea Party', an event intended to rebel against the British tea act of 1773 thus commencing a series of events culminating in American independence. However, despite these early successes, Revere's crowning moment came in April of 1775 when he warned the minutemen militia forces in Lexington and Concord of the arrival of British forces who, in their attempted stealth tactics, wished to quell the American rebel groups in the area. Revere achieved this through a lantern system involving the placement of one lantern in the steeple of Boston's 'Old North Church' to signify British mobilisation by land, and two lanterns to indicate that they were launching a sea-based attack. In combination with this, Revere rode to the surrounding military checkpoints and villages to warn of the coming conflict in an event romanticised and immortalised as his 'Midnight Ride'. Revere remained significant throughout the revolutionary war as an industrialist, helping to secure sufficient gunpowder supplies for the American forces, as a military officer and as a general activist, using his status and skill set to increase the efficiency of the American militia while mobilising support for the war effort.
In terms of how this relates to the development of an American identity, we may draw many conclusions, both literal and metaphorical. Firstly, there is an evident link between Revere's involvement in the fight for American independence and the development of their national identity, which fundamentally relied and still relies on their nation's success in this endeavor which in itself, is inextricably linked with America's maintained self-identification as a champion of liberty. However, the way in which Revere contributed to this effort using innovation and technology in the form of his lantern warning system and detailed designs for the reproduction of gunpowder mills is also telling in relation to the American identity. This is because America, both during the colonial era and indeed in the modern world is seen as a progressive nation based on scientific development and an emphasis on secularism, relative to Europe and in light of this, Revere's fusion of innovation in the interests of liberty and independence can therefore be argued to reflect the narrative of America as a whole, thus helping to constitute a significant part of their identity. This notion is only reinforced through an analysis of Revere's humble origins as a man not from nobility or the aristocratic classes associated with the European powers from which he sought independence, but one who struggled financially, particularly as a result of British legislation and rule. This adds an undeniable charm and power to the Revere story, cementing his status as an 'ordinary' hero and potentially foreshadowing the more modern notion of the American dream (integral to the American identity) as an individual who risked his life and worked tirelessly to help overthrow his oppressors and attain independence, that, not only manifested physically, is now woven into the fabric of American ideology. Finally, the American immigrant narrative is also reflected through Revere's own life who, with his French Huguenot origins, can be said to represent the power and importance of the various immigrant groups to America, as it was they who helped to establish it as a nation created in its own image.
Sources
http://www.biography.com/people/paul-revere-9456172
http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/11-things-you-may-not-know-about-paul-revere
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