Main illustration by Randy Pollak

Fighting For Freedom

The first shots of the American Revolution were fired 250 years ago.

As You Read, Think About: What events led to the start of the American Revolution?

Rat-a-tat-tat. At about 5 a.m. on April 19, 1775, a drumroll echoed across the town square in Lexington, Massachusetts. Drummer William Diamond was signaling to about 70 members of the local militia to be prepared. Within minutes, roughly 100 British soldiers were marching into the town. 

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. Who fired that first shot has been debated ever since. But soon eight militiamen were dead and 10 others were wounded. The American Revolution had begun. 

Trouble in the Colonies

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

At the time, Great Britain ruled the 13 Colonies, including Massachusetts. By the 1770s, many colonists were tired of the British controlling their lives. They had been forced to pay a series of taxes, or extra fees, on items like sugar, glass, paper, and tea. But they had no voice in the British government. The angry colonists called this “taxation without representation.”

Many colonists boycotted goods shipped from Britain. On December 16, 1773, colonists in Boston took their protest a step further. They climbed aboard three British ships and dumped more than 300 chests of tea into the harbor. This event became known as the Boston Tea Party.

To punish the Colonies, the British passed harsh laws known as the Coercive Acts. One law put Massachusetts under the control of a British general. By April 1775, about 4,000 British soldiers were stationed around Boston. These soldiers, called Redcoats for the color of their uniforms, were among the best trained in the world. The tension between the colonists and the British was at an all-time high.

A Day of Fighting

To prepare for the possibility of war, the colonists had spent months gathering weapons and supplies in a town called Concord. On the night of April 18, about 700 British troops set out from Boston to destroy the stockpile of weapons. But colonial leaders had learned about the British plan and sent word to warn colonists in Lexington, Concord, and nearby towns (see “Midnight Riders”). 

After the British victory at the clash in Lexington, the Redcoats were feeling confident as they marched on to Concord. After all, many of the colonial militiamen were farmers and shopkeepers. But the Redcoats were in for a surprise later that morning.

By then, hundreds of militiamen had gathered near Concord. The colonists had moved most of their weapons and supplies, but the British destroyed what they found. When the colonists saw plumes of smoke, they thought the entire town was burning. 

Colonial fighters rushed to face off with the Redcoats who were guarding a bridge. The British opened fire. The colonists fired back in what came to be known as “the shot heard round the world.” As more men from neighboring towns joined the fight, the British became badly outnumbered. 

At about noon, the Redcoats started to retreat back to Boston. During the long march, they were attacked by American militiamen hiding behind trees, walls, and buildings. By the end of the fighting, about 250 Redcoats had been killed or wounded. That was about three times the number of deaths and injuries the colonists suffered.

Long Road to Victory

The battles of Lexington and Concord proved that the colonists could stand up to one of the world’s most powerful armies. The courage and determination they showed that day united the Colonies like never before. 

More victories followed over the next few months. The colonists would also suffer many losses during the next eight years. But in the end, they would win their long fight for independence. 

1. What is meant by the saying “taxation without representation”?

2. Being coercive means using force or threats to make someone do something. Based on the article, why do you think the laws passed by the British following the Boston Tea Party were known as the Coercive Acts?

3. Based on the article, why were the battles of Lexington and Concord important events in U.S. history?

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