Alyson Howard

MWF 8:30

Early American History

Professor Looney
The Beginning of Yankee Doodle

The first version of “Yankee Doodle” seems to have been written by a British army physician,

Dr. Richard Shuckburgh, during the French and Indian War. Over the years the words changed as

the war progressed, by late into the year 1755 there had been three known different versions of

the song but it is said that any soldier could make their words fit the rhythm they just had to try.

Everyone from minutemen to army physicians had written their own line or two depending on

the battle they endured.The song Yankee Doodle is believed to have originated with British

troops during the American Revolution as a way to make fun of the colonists. This song has

taken on many different versions over the years to include an estimated 120 verses. However,

according to the Library of Congress, Yankee Doodle quickly became a form of prideful boasting

after the colonists saw Britain surrender at Yorktown in 1781. It became a sort of 'hey, you made

fun of us, but we got you back' moment for the newly free America. The verse that the American

soldiers liked best summed up Yankee Doodle’s popularity. “Yankee Doodle is the tune, That we

all delight in; It suits for feasts, it suits for fun, And just as well for fightin’.” Yankee Doodle was

not always the proud, patriotic ditty we know today. It turned out the rustic, ragtag Americans

weren’t much insulted by this and started singing the song themselves. It had a catchy tune, and

they were never out to win any best-dressed awards anyway.

Not only did Yankee Doodle end up a staple of the American patriotic songbook, it gave us one

of our most useful words, dude, which originally meant dandy and was formed off of doodle.