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Widely known as an instrumental melody by the middle of the eighteenth century
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Popular as a tune for jigs and contra dances
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May have been composed by an early American fiddler
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The first set of lyrics were written or adapted by British army surgeon, Dr. Richard Shuckburg between 1755 and 1758 during the French and Indian War
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When it first appeared in print in London in 1775 it was subtitled The Lexington March because the British army fifed it on their way to Lexington on April 18, 1775
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Harvard sophomore Edward Bangs, a Minuteman who is said to have participated in the events of Lexington and Concord, put together the version which is best known today
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The most well-known stanza did not appear in print until 1852, but may have been sung earlier. ("Yankee Doodle came to town riding on a pony. He stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni.")
