Longfellow was America's first poet to be revered in his lifetime-both at home and abroad. His epic Paul Revere's Ride made Revere the stuff of legend, and the poem became a symbol of American culture. He also introduced many European masterpieces of literature to America and was considered a pioneer in the teaching of modern languages. Supports history-social science standards requiring students to identify common themes in American art and thought as well as transcendentalism and individualism.