The Battles of Lexington and Concord are widely regarded as the opening battles of the American Revolutionary War.
The fighting took place in Massachusetts on April 19, 1775. British troops marched from Boston toward Concord to seize colonial military supplies, but colonial militia confronted them at Lexington and then resisted the British withdrawal through Concord and neighboring towns.
The engagements followed years of political conflict, including disputes over taxation, representation, and military occupation. They did not by themselves create an independent United States; the Second Continental Congress later organized the war effort, and the Declaration of Independence followed in 1776. The phrase “shot heard round the world” is associated with the opening clash at Lexington, though the expression became famous later.