Which 1775 battle is generally considered the first military engagement of the American Revolutionary War, central to America250 history?

The Battles of Lexington and Concord are generally considered the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War.

They took place on April 19, 1775, in Massachusetts. British troops marched from Boston to seize military supplies at Concord, while Patriot militia gathered after receiving warnings about the expedition. Fighting began at Lexington and continued during the British retreat from Concord toward Boston.

The encounters transformed political resistance into open warfare. The British force reached Concord, but local militia confronted troops at the Old North Bridge and then attacked along the return route. The day’s events helped persuade the Second Continental Congress to organize the Continental Army.

The phrase “shot heard round the world” became associated with the opening clash, although the identity of the person who fired the first shot remains disputed. Bunker Hill followed in June 1775, so it was not the war’s first battle.