What name is commonly given to the first major battles of the American Revolutionary War in April 1775?

The first major battles of the American Revolutionary War were the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.

British troops marched from Boston to Concord to seize military supplies believed to be stored there. Patriot riders, including Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott, helped spread the alarm, allowing local militia to assemble.

The first clash occurred at Lexington, where British troops encountered colonial militiamen. Fighting continued as the British advanced to Concord and then withdrew toward Boston under repeated attacks from militia along the route. The engagements marked the beginning of open warfare between the British Army and the American Patriots.

The phrase “shot heard round the world” is associated with the opening fighting, but the identity of the person who fired the first shot remains disputed. Lexington was a brief initial skirmish, while Concord and the return march produced the larger sequence of combat.