Which 1775 battles are commonly recognized as the first battles of the American Revolutionary War?

The Battles of Lexington and Concord are commonly recognized as the first battles of the American Revolutionary War.

On April 19, 1775, British regulars marched from Boston toward Concord, Massachusetts, intending to seize colonial military supplies. Colonial militiamen confronted the troops at Lexington, where the first fighting occurred, and later resisted them at Concord and along the return route to Boston.

The events followed years of tension over taxation, political authority, and the presence of British troops in Massachusetts. Paul Revere and other riders had warned local communities that the British expedition was moving inland, allowing militia units to assemble.

The clashes transformed a political crisis into open warfare. The British reached Concord but failed to secure all the supplies, then endured sustained fire during the retreat. The fighting helped prompt the Second Continental Congress to organize the Continental Army and appoint George Washington as its commander.