Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a man who from a young age had a love for literature, and later took a position in 1863 at Harvard (legallanguage.com, Paul Revere's Ride). Three years later Longfellow published his first collection of poems and many of his poems sported people conquering over affliction (poets.org, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow). Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wanted Paul Revere to get recognized for his bravery, perseverance and labor for his country's freedom, moreover his intention was not to write a historical account but to create a national icon through dramatizing Paul Revere's midnight ride (paul-revere-heritage.com, Myths and Facts of Revere's Midnight Ride). Longfellow became conscious of the fact that Paul Revere was willing to give his own life for his country. Longfellow believed that Paul Revere was truly a hero and that what he did for his country was very admirable.
Because Longfellow looked up to Paul Revere, he wanted to spread the knowledge of what Revere achieved. Paul Revere warned the people from Boston to Philadelphia, New York and Hartford to let them know that the British forces were moving against the colonists. Paul Revere also created a way of communication through lights. Paul Revere arranged to have the signal in the Old North Church, if the British were coming by land he lit one lantern and if they were coming by sea he would light two lanterns (bostonteapartyship.com, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere). Revere had arranged for these signals the weekend before to alert the local militias and citizens about the impending attack, because he was scared that he may be averted diverted from leaving Boston (paulreverehouse.org, The Real Story of Revere's Ride).
Longfellow wrote the poem Paul Revere's Ride because he saw the Civil war coming to a start and wanted his poem to be a call for people to be courageous for the upcoming times of conflict (poets.