Which 1775 battle is often called the first major battle of the American Revolutionary War?

The Battle of Bunker Hill is often called the first major battle of the American Revolutionary War.

Fought on June 17, 1775, the battle took place mainly on Breed’s Hill near Boston, despite its traditional name. American colonial forces fortified the heights and fought British troops advancing from Boston. The British captured the position, but suffered heavy casualties, while the colonial resistance demonstrated that inexperienced forces could challenge professional soldiers.

The famous instruction “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes” is traditionally associated with the battle, though historians debate its precise wording and attribution. Another common mix-up is the battlefield’s location: most combat occurred on Breed’s Hill, not Bunker Hill.

The battle occurred before the Declaration of Independence and before the Continental Army was formally established. It belongs to the opening phase of the conflict that eventually produced the independent nation whose founding America250 commemorates.