The Battles of Lexington and Concord were pivotal moments that signaled the beginning of armed conflict between Great Britain and its American colonies. In April 1775, British General Thomas Gage sent troops from Boston to seize colonial military supplies stored in Concord, Massachusetts. As they marched, local patriot leaders such as Paul Revere and William Dawes rode ahead to warn the militias of the impending British approach. On the morning of April 19, a confrontation occurred at Lexington Green where about seventy armed colonial militia faced approximately 700 British soldiers. The tense standoff resulted in shots being fired, with the specifics of who fired first remaining a point of contention. This engagement marked the start of open hostilities.

Continuing on to Concord, the British found their targets largely moved or hidden. Nevertheless, they engaged in a brief confrontation at the North Bridge in Concord. The colonial militia began to regroup and fight back, ultimately forcing the British to retreat. This retreat became a grueling march back to Boston, where they faced an increasingly organized colonial resistance that harried them from behind trees and fences. The significance of this day's events shaped the revolutionary fervor that spread throughout the colonies, leading to the formation of the Continental Army and solidifying a collective identity among the colonies against British rule.