Lexington and Concord

Patriots’ fight for freedom after the Coercive Acts was more drastic. John Hancock and Samuel Adams as leaders of the colonists, created a Provincial Congress were they gathered to govern Massachusetts without any British Government influence. They had also created a stockpile of fire arms and ammunitions. The British Government saw this as a threat. The Governor in Massachusetts during these events was Lt. General Thomas Gage. He was given with the order to arrest the leaders of the colonists John Hancock and Samuel Adams. Gage kept secret his plans of the capture of the leaders, even from the soldiers.  He also decided to destroy the stockpile of fire arms and ammunitions that was stored in Concord, Massachusetts.

John Hancock and Samuel Adams were told to leave Massachusetts one day before the order was given. They went to Reverend Clarke’s house in Lexington, Massachusetts. On April 18, 1775, by night Gage told his soldiers they were going to leave Boston to arrest the leaders of the Patriots. Half an hour later the secret was spread, colonists knew the plans. William Dawes and Paul Revere immediately make their way to Lexington to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams. When they arrived to Lexington, the colonists were warn and prepared to send the troops back to Boston. The militia of the Patriots, who were fulltime farmers and part-time soldiers got prepared.

When the British troops arrived to Lexington, a group of the militia was waiting for them at Lexington Green.  The British rather than fight they wanted to capture the militia and take their arms. Someone fired a shot and with this the British began shooting. Eight colonists were killed and ten wounded. 

The British were moving to Concord to destroy the weapons. When they approached, at the North Bridge in Concord, they found a group of armed militia. The colonist fought with the British troops and won the short but intensive war. They send the troops back to Boston. The victory of the colonists was called “The Shot Heard Round the World” throughout the world.