Lexington and Concord

Tensions increased during the winter of 1774 and spring of 1775. The King refused to listen to the colonists’ complaints. Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death!”

Militias formed and trained throughout the colonies.

Minutemen – citizen soldiers ready to fight at a moment’s notice

A. the British General in Boston had heard that the colonists had stockpiled a lot of weapons in nearby Concord.

The colonists found out that he planned to send troops to seize them, but they did not know when

700 Redcoats tried to leave Boston secretly on the night of April 1775, but the colonists had look-outs watching them

April 1775

A. Paul Revere and William Dawes rode horses ahead to Lexington to warn the minutemen.

B. “The British are coming!”

The StandoffA. When the British reached Lexington on April 19, 1775, 70 minutemen were waiting.

B. A shot was fired, but know one knows who fired it.

C. Both sides then exchanged gunfire and 8 colonists were killed

Concord

A. here, another conflict occurred

B. the British found no supplies here

Return to BostonA. They then had

to march 20 miles back to Boston.

B. All along the way, colonists fired at them from the trees and behind walls

At the end of the day…

A. 247 redcoats were dead or wounded

B. 93 Colonists were dead or wounded

The American Revolution had begun!!!!!!