Which 1775 battles marked the opening of the American Revolutionary War, a conflict remembered by America250?

The Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the opening of the American Revolutionary War, a conflict remembered by America250. They took place in Massachusetts on April 19, 1775, after British troops marched from Boston toward Concord.

British forces intended to seize colonial military supplies stored at Concord. Patriot riders warned local militias, allowing colonial forces to gather at Lexington and along the British return route. Fighting at Lexington Common and the Old North Bridge at Concord developed into a day-long running battle.

The British expedition reached Concord but failed to destroy the main stores, and the returning troops suffered heavy losses from colonial militia fire. The battles began the Siege of Boston, as militia forces surrounded the British garrison. The nearby Battle of Bunker Hill followed on June 17, 1775, but it was not the war’s opening engagement.