War could have been prevented. Or maybe not…?. The Fighting Begins Maybe if King George III had JUST paid attention to the colonist… Maybe if Parliament had repealed the Intolerable Acts… Maybe if Britain had promised to respect the colonists’ “rights of Englishmen”… Maybe if the British government removed all the British troops from the colonies… War could have been prevented. Or maybe not…?.

Maybe That Didn’t Happen Spring 1775 the militias (citizens who volunteered to be part-time soldiers) in most colonies were preparing for war In March, a member of the Virginia state assembly debated whether their colony should prepare for war Patrick Henry thought it was time for action!

“Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years… We must fight! Gentlemen may cry peace, peace—but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field. Why stand we here idle? What is the gentlemen wish? What would they have: is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, almighty God!”

“I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!”

3 weeks after Henry’s stirring speech, the war began Minutemen: farmers and townspeople who had been training to fight; ready to fight at a minutes notice Collected and hid supplies, including guns, gunpowder, etc., in a town called Concord, about 15 miles northwest of Boston Governor General Gage (the British general who had been appointed to governor of Massachusetts) found out about the hidden supplies in Concord Also learned that Sam Adams and John Hancock (two Sons of Liberty and main troublemakers in Boston) were hiding out in Lexington

General Gage thought he’d kill two birds with one stone Sends troops to Lexington to capture Adams and Hancock Continues on to Concord to seize the hidden supplies Plan: leave Boston in the dead of night Sons of Liberty: tipped off to the plan and were ready to cut off the redcoats Two routes to Lexington… Which would the redcoats take? Longer route: completely over land Short route: cross Charles River by rowboat

Billy Dawes started out along the long route to Lexington Along the way to Lexington, he yelled out to Patriot homes “The redcoats are coming!” Paul Revere hung back and waited to see which route the redcoats would take In order to warn the Sons of Liberty located on the opposite shore, he had two signals in preparation for the redcoats: Would hang 1 lantern if they took the long route by land Would hang 2 lanterns if they took the short route by land and water “One if by land, two if by sea” When Revere figured out which route the redcoats were taking, he would pass the information along to a young man, who would climb up the tower of Old North Church in Boston and signal with a lantern

Paul Revere and two friends hurried to a hidden rowboat and rowed across the water ahead of the British troops When they reached shore, Revere borrowed a horse from the Sons of Liberty Galloped off to carry the message to Lexington and Concord Stopped at every village and town and pounded on doors, sounding the alarm: “The redcoats are coming!” When he arrived in Lexington, he was able to warn Sam Adams and John Hancock They got away safely!

The Battle at Lexington Red coats arrive at dawn in Lexington, expecting to see no one since it was so early… What do they see? 70 Minutemen waiting for them Captain John Parker told his men: “Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have war, let it begin here.” The British officer ordered the Minutemen to leave British Soldiers 600-700 men Handsome uniforms Well-armed Minutemen 70 men Rough dress Few weapons

Someone suddenly opened fire, and the fight began Within minutes: 8 minutemen dead, 10 wounded British captured Billy Dawes and Paul Revere before they could get to Concord Another Patriot, Dr. Samuel Prescott, got away and headed for Concord to warn of the British attack British troops the continued to Concord and destroyed some of the hidden supplies along the way Nearly 400 minutemen waiting for them at North Bridge, near Concord British soldiers opened fire, and the Minutemen fired back After just 5 minutes off fighting, the British retreated

Long march back to Boston was a nightmare for the British soldiers Colonists who lived along the route and had been alerted by Paul Revere were waiting for the redcoats to return and march by Colonists hid behind trees, fences, and barns The redcoats were an easy target in their bright red uniforms, and the colonists shot at them throughout the march back to Boston Before the British troops got back to Boston that night… Minutemen killed 73 redcoats and wounded 200 (nearly half the number of soldiers who had started out) Colonists had lost nearly 50 minutemen Though Americans did not know it yet… the War for Independence had begun

Concord Hymn By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood, And fired the shot heard round the world.