Spellbreakers Ep. 115: Paul Revere - The Elon Musk of the Revolution

In this thoughtful and refreshingly personal episode of Spellbreakers, Matt Trump takes listeners on a journey through Revolutionary history, industrial innovation, and the spiritual DNA of America. Using the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord as a launchpad, Matt asks a compelling question: was Paul Revere the Elon Musk of the American Revolution?

Exploring Revere's often overlooked contributions beyond his famous midnight ride, Matt highlights Revere’s role as a skilled silversmith, an early adopter of industrial-scale production, and a pioneering manufacturer of rolled copper used in the hulls of ships like the USS Constitution. Revere, Matt argues, represents a rare fusion of patriotism and entrepreneurship, a model of the industrialist as public servant, not shadowy power broker.

Matt shares reflections from a recent visit to Silver City, New Mexico, weaving observations about modern counterculture and patriotism into his storytelling. He offers a spirited defense of Americana, from sixth-grade bicentennial songs to the enduring relevance of the shot heard ’round the world.

In the final act, Matt digs into a bigger historical question: how did America go from Revere’s open, hands-on patriotism to the secretive oligarchy of J.P. Morgan, Rockefeller, and the Federal Reserve? With passion and clarity, he sets the stage for future episodes that will trace that arc—and explore how we might reclaim the founding spirit of innovation and liberty.