Battle of Lexington and Battle of Lexington and ConcordConcord

Warm Up QuestionsWarm Up Questions

• What were the role of spies in the pre-revolutionary period?

• Was Paul Revere a spy? Provide evidence to support your answer.

• What was the reasons why General Gage sent troops to Lexington and Concord?

• What was the mission of the midnight riders?

Background Background

• Just before the Battle• Some 4,000 redcoats were stationed in Boston• General Gage sent 700 troops to Concord,

Mass. on April 18, 1775– To destroy or capture the ammunition and guns the

colonists had accumulated in Concord– Planned to arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams:

two prominent patriot leaders

• The midnight riders alerted the towns and the colonists prepared for the arrival of the British soldiers

The BattleThe Battle• “The New England governments are in a state of

rebellion.”– King George

• Colonists were prepared for a fight– Minutemen were called upon to fight

• When the British arrived, Captain Jonas Parker and 70 minutemen were waiting

• April 19, 1775: THE SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD

• A British commander ordered the Americans to drop their weapons– They refused, and shots were fired– No one knows who fired the first shot

Battle cont..Battle cont..

• There was an exchange of gunfire, and the Minutemen fled

• British marched to Concord– Destroyed the town’s supplies– Militia men were beginning to come from all over

the area

• A skirmish broke out at Concord’s North Bridge– British retreated to Boston– Were fired upon the whole way back

• Gage sent 1500 more soldiers to avoid disaster

Battle cont…Battle cont…• The Revolutionary War had begun• After the first day of fighting

– British casualties: 273– American casualties: less than 100

• Mass. Sent militia to capture two forts– Ticonderoga and Crowne Point

• For a brief moment in history, farmers stood up to the greatest military in the world– This empire defeated the French and Spanish!!

Lexington and ConcordLexington and Concord

Road between Lex and Road between Lex and ConCon

Map of the BattleMap of the Battle

Old North BridgeOld North Bridge

Old North BridgeOld North Bridge

In MemoryIn Memory

What This All MeansWhat This All Means

• “ A brothers’ sword has been sheathed in a brother’s heart, and the once-happy and peaceful plains of America are either to be drenched in blood or inhabited by a race of slaves. Can a virtuous man hesitate in his choice?”– George Washington

Choose Your SideChoose Your Side

• Americans now had a choice to make– War was inevitable--the British would send

more troops and fight– Who do the Americans side with??

• Patriots: those who sided with the revolutionary cause (called rebels)

• Loyalists: those who supported the British

• The decisions made would tear apart communities, family and friends

Which side would you Which side would you choose?choose?

• Patriots– Pros:

• Independence and the chance to form your own nation

• No longer under the tyrannical rule of the British

• Have the peace and prosperity sought after– Cons:

• Labeled as traitors, punishable by death• Creating your own government• Preparing to fight the greatest military power in

the world without an army

Which side would you Which side would you choose?choose?

• Loyalists– Pros:

• Maintain the status quo• Continue to have the same freedoms as before;

just have the rights addressed• Protection given by the greatest military in the

world

– Cons• Labeled as traitors• No ability to participate in creation of government• Going against communities, family and friends

Loyalist Vs. Patriot DebateLoyalist Vs. Patriot Debate• The colonists believed in the idea of sharing ideas

and opinions in the form of debates: You will have a debate against one another

• Each group member will come up with 10 arguments supporting their side (Loyalist or Patriot)– Why you are a Patriot, or Loyalist

• Tomorrow, you will organize your arguments with your group members

• You will choose 4 members to represent your side• As a group, you will create an opening argument: at

least 2-5 minutes long• You will discuss potential arguments the other side

will have and try to counter them with your own

Debate RulesDebate Rules

• I will be the mediator; controlling the time and the flow of the debate

• One side will present an argument, followed by a one minute rebuttal from the other side, followed by a 30 second response from the presenting side

• We will alternate sides until the 10 arguments have been fully presented

• You will write a one page reaction to the debate• Include your thoughts on the idea of a debate,

and whether or not you feel this forum works