Which 1775 battles marked the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War, commemorated by America250?

The Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War.

On April 19, 1775, British Army troops marched from Boston toward Concord, Massachusetts, to seize colonial military supplies. Local militia confronted the troops at Lexington, where the first fighting occurred, then at Concord’s Old North Bridge.

The British column retreated toward Boston while colonial militia fired from behind walls, trees, and other cover along the road. The clashes helped transform political disputes between Britain and its North American colonies into an armed conflict.

The phrase “shot heard round the world” is commonly associated with the opening exchange at Lexington, although the exact identity of the first shooter remains unknown. Lexington and Concord are neighboring Massachusetts communities, and the events are often discussed together even though fighting took place at several locations during the same day.