For America250, which April 1775 battle is generally regarded as the first armed clash of the American Revolution?

For America250, the Battles of Lexington and Concord are generally regarded as the first armed clashes of the American Revolution.

The fighting took place on April 19, 1775, in Massachusetts. British regulars marched from Boston to Concord to seize colonial military supplies. Colonial militiamen confronted them first on Lexington Green, where shots were fired and several colonists were killed.

The British continued to Concord, but colonial forces removed or hid many of the supplies. During the return march to Boston, militia from surrounding communities attacked the British column repeatedly. The day’s fighting caused hundreds of casualties and helped turn a political crisis into a full-scale war.

The phrase “shot heard round the world” is associated with the opening confrontation, although the expression became famous later through Ralph Waldo Emerson’s 1837 poem. The battles were followed by the Siege of Boston and the creation of the Continental Army.