The document summarizes key events leading up to and during the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, which marked the unofficial start of the American Revolutionary War. British troops moved to capture patriot leaders and seize a cache of weapons. On April 18th, 77 minutemen were fired upon by the British at Lexington, killing 8 minutemen. Further clashes occurred as the British marched to Concord, with minutemen attacking from hiding and inflicting heavy casualties on the British troops returning to Boston. These battles demonstrated the growing conflict between colonial militias and British military forces in the colonies.
7. First Continental Congress
Formally denounced Intolerable Acts
Set up a “Plan of Union”
56 delegates from 12 colonies (no GA)
8. Set Up
After the Coercive Acts: King George III made General
Thomas Gage Governor of Mass.
Gage was also Commander in Chief of all British forces in
America
Moved Mass. Capital from Boston to Salem and dissolved
the colony’s congress
Many people fled Boston
Gage captured stores of hidden patriot guns/powder
Arrested Sons of Liberty leaders: Sam Adams and John
Hancock
Sons of Liberty expected this and started practicing
loading their muskets – became known as Minutemen
9. Shot Heard ‘Round the World -
Lexington
Paul Revere was on watch for British troop movements
April 18, 1775: British began moving towards Lexington,
Revere left to warn Adams and Hancock (Revere would
be caught and arrested)
77 minutemen got ready at Lexington
British tried to just march past them, but a random shot
was fired
British troops broke formation and started shooting
8 Minutemen dead
10. Concord
British troops had sent some guys ahead and took
control of Salem Bridge
Minutemen attacked them and the bridge was
unguarded
As British troops crossed the bridge, Minutemen hiding
began shooting at them
73 British died, 174 wounded
These are significant because: war had not yet been
declared, but this was an unofficial start to the war
