Rep. Michele Bachmann got her Revolutionary War history a bit screwed up at an event in New Hampshire today, telling the crowd: “What I love about New Hampshire and what we have in common is our extreme love for liberty. You’re the state where the shot was heard around the world in Lexington and Concord.”
The Battles of Lexington and Concord and the shot heard round the world took place in Massachusetts.
At an event hosted by the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire, Bachmann (R-MN) said: “You put a marker in the ground and paid with the blood of your ancestors the very first price that had to be paid to make this the most magnificent nation that has ever arisen in the annals of man in 5,000 years of recorded history.”
Somewhat ironically, Scott Conroy of RealClearPolitics reports that Bachmann also talked a bit about the importance of teaching children the facts and letting them draw their own conclusions. “I don’t think that our public schools are necessarily the place where one fixed set of political beliefs should be imposed on students,” she said. “I think that knowledge, facts, and information should be on the table, and let students decide what their beliefs should be.”
Bachmann’s gotten her American history wrong before. Back in January, she lauded the United States for its early commitment to diversity. “It didn’t matter the color of their skin, it didn’t matter their language, it didn’t matter their economic status,” Bachmann said of the first settlers. She also praised the founders who she said “worked tirelessly until slavery was no more in the United States.”
Late Update: Bachmann responded in two posts on her Facebook page:
So I misplaced the battles Concord and Lexington by saying they were in New Hampshire. It was my mistake, Massachusetts is where they happened. New Hampshire is where they are still proud of it!
And by the way… That will be the last time I borrow President Obama’s tele-promoter!
But, as the Minnesota Post points out, she made the same mistake the night before on the sea coast of New Hampshire: “It’s your state that fired the shot that was heard around the world, you are the state of Lexington and Concord (sic), you started the battle for liberty right here in your backyard.”
Disqus Conversations
Click here to read the Disqus Commenting FAQ.