The Battles of Lexington and Concord began on April 19, 1775, marking the opening major military action of the American Revolutionary War. The fighting occurred in the Province of Massachusetts Bay near Boston.
British troops marched from Boston to Concord to seize military supplies held by colonial forces. Patriot leaders had received warnings about the expedition, allowing many supplies to be moved and local militia units to assemble. The first clash occurred at dawn on Lexington Common, where colonial militiamen confronted British regulars.
The British continued to Concord, but militia resistance increased there and during the long retreat toward Boston. Colonial forces inflicted significant casualties while using roads, fields, and local knowledge to keep pressure on the returning troops.
The battles followed years of disputes over taxation, representation, and Parliament’s authority in the colonies. They did not immediately create an independent nation, but they transformed political resistance into open warfare. The Second Continental Congress later appointed George Washington commander in chief.