Which 1775 battles are commonly considered the first military engagements of the American Revolution?

The Battles of Lexington and Concord are commonly considered the first military engagements of the American Revolution.

Fighting began on April 19, 1775, when British regulars marched from Boston toward Concord to seize colonial military supplies. Colonial militiamen confronted the troops at Lexington, where the first shots were exchanged. British forces continued to Concord, then withdrew toward Boston under sustained attacks from colonial militia.

The battles transformed an escalating political crisis into open warfare. News traveled rapidly through the colonies, encouraging militia mobilization and helping lead to the creation of a unified Continental Army. The conflict also preceded the Declaration of Independence by more than a year.

The phrase “shot heard round the world” is associated with the opening of the Revolution, although it comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s later poem about the Battle of Concord. The Battle of Bunker Hill followed in June 1775, while Saratoga and Yorktown occurred later in the war.