Which two Massachusetts towns saw the opening battles of the American Revolutionary War?

Lexington and Concord saw the opening battles of the American Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775. British regulars marched from Boston to seize colonial military supplies, but local militia confronted them first in Lexington.

The fighting continued through Concord, where colonial forces resisted the British advance. As the British withdrew toward Boston, militia units attacked them repeatedly from the surrounding countryside. The day marked the transition from political resistance to open armed conflict.

The famous phrase “shot heard round the world” is associated with the opening exchange at Lexington, although its exact origin is literary rather than a contemporary battlefield report. The battles preceded the Declaration of Independence by more than a year and led to the Siege of Boston.