Lexington saw the opening shots of the American Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775.
British troops marched from Boston toward Concord to seize colonial military supplies. At dawn, they encountered a small group of Massachusetts militia on Lexington Common. The opposing forces exchanged fire, and eight colonists were killed. British troops then continued toward Concord, where colonial militia resisted at the North Bridge.
The British withdrawal to Boston became a running battle as militia members fired from behind walls, trees, and other cover. The day’s fighting marked the beginning of open warfare between Great Britain and the American colonies. The conflict had been building through taxation disputes, protests, and military tension, but Lexington and Concord transformed the crisis into armed revolution.
The phrase “shot heard round the world” is associated with the opening of the battle, although the exact circumstances of who fired first remain disputed. Lexington was the site of the initial clash; Concord was the location of the later bridge fight and the British objective. Both communities are commemorated together in the battle’s official name.