To signal the movement of British troops during the American Revolution, Paul Revere and his fellow patriots used a lantern system from the Old North Church in Boston.

On the evening of April 18, 1775, two lanterns were displayed on the church steeple to signal that the British were advancing by land, while a single lantern would have indicated an approach by sea. This ingenious signaling method enabled the colonists to ready themselves for the looming conflict, which ultimately resulted in the battles of Lexington and Concord. The lanterns became a potent symbol of early American defiance against British authority.