Which event marked the first major military actions of the American Revolutionary War?

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

The fighting took place on April 19, 1775, in Massachusetts. British troops marched from Boston toward Concord to seize military supplies, but Patriot riders and local militia learned of the operation and mobilized. The first clash occurred at Lexington, followed by fighting at Concord and along the British retreat.

These battles are often described as the beginning of the Revolutionary War, although political and military tensions had been building for years. The conflict did not formally end until the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783.

Paul Revere helped spread the warning, but he was not the only rider. William Dawes and Samuel Prescott also carried alerts, and local militia companies joined the response. The events helped turn colonial resistance into open warfare, a foundational episode recalled during America250.