The Battles of Lexington and Concord took place on April 19, 1775, beginning the first major military actions of the American Revolutionary War.
British troops marched from Boston toward Concord to seize colonial military supplies. Patriot riders, including Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott, helped warn local militia that the expedition was approaching.
The first clash occurred at Lexington at sunrise, followed by fighting at Concord's North Bridge. The British column then retreated toward Boston while militia members attacked from the surrounding countryside. The day's events helped turn political resistance into open war.
People often call Lexington and Concord the first battle of the Revolution, but the fighting consisted of multiple engagements across the route. The identity of the person who fired the first shot at Lexington remains uncertain. The date is nevertheless firmly established and forms part of the longer story commemorated by America250.