The Battles of Lexington and Concord began on April 19, 1775, marking the first major military actions of the American Revolutionary War.
British troops marched from Boston toward Concord to seize colonial military supplies. Patriot leaders learned of the plan, and riders including Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott warned local militias during the night of April 18 and early morning of April 19.
At sunrise, British regulars encountered Massachusetts militia on Lexington Common. After the brief clash at Lexington, the troops continued to Concord, where colonial forces confronted them at the North Bridge. The British then began their return to Boston under sustained militia attack.
The date is sometimes confused with June 17, 1775, the date of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Lexington and Concord came first, while Bunker Hill followed nearly two months later during the Siege of Boston.