Benjy Sarlin & Evan McMorris-Santoro October 12, 2011, 9:10 AM

Rick Perry didn’t make a lot of news during Tuesday night’s economic debate at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, but he sure blew up Twitter after it was over.

Mr. Tenth Amendment was trying to expound on one of his favorite topics — the American Revolution — when he stumbled a bit and placed America’s declaration of independence about 200 years too early in history.

Here’s the full quote, as reported by ABC News:

“Our Founding Fathers never meant for Washington, D.C. to be the fount of all wisdom. As a matter of fact they were very much afraid if that because they’d just had this experience with this far-away government that had centralized thought process and planning and what have you, and then it was actually the reason that we fought the revolution in the 16th century was to get away from that kind of onerous crown if you will.”

The line went nuts on the Twitters last night, instantaneously leading to the hashtag #PerryHistory. Here’s what one of those sounded like:

“December 7, 1741—a date which will live in infamy. #PerryHistory”

Here’s video of the gaffe, recorded by NBC News right after Tuesday’s debate on the Dartmouth College campus:

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