Which battles marked the first armed clashes of the American Revolutionary War, commemorated during America250?

The Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the first armed clashes of the American Revolutionary War.

The fighting took place on April 19, 1775, in the Massachusetts towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy, and Cambridge. British troops marched from Boston to Concord to seize colonial military supplies. Patriot riders, including Paul Revere and William Dawes, helped warn local militia that the expedition was approaching.

At Lexington Green, British regulars and colonial militia exchanged fire, causing the first deaths of the conflict. At Concord's North Bridge, colonial forces confronted the British troops more effectively. During the retreat to Boston, militia units repeatedly attacked the British column from concealed positions.

The battles did not immediately create an independent United States. The Second Continental Congress soon organized the Continental Army and appointed George Washington commander. The clashes nevertheless transformed a political dispute into open war and helped bring previously divided colonies into a common military effort.