A concise summary of the fight that sparked the American Revolution, with key facts, maps, images, historical significance, and more. Tension between Britain and her North American colonies had been building for years. After numerous protests and acts of defiance, things took a serious turn after the December 1773 Boston Tea Party, when an irate King George III and Parliament took more drastic action to teach their rebellious citizens in Massachusetts a lesson. After they shut down Boston's port, dissolved elected government, and placed the colony under military occupation, the dry tinder of Colonial resentment was ready to ignite. The spark came on the morning of April 19, 1775, as a British force moved west to destroy military supplies secretly stored in Concord. When the column came upon a small company of militia waiting on Lexington Green, the fateful "shot heard round the world" rang out—and the American Revolution had begun. Learn about this world-changing encounter in this summary that includes all the key aspects of the campaign and battle, including maps, images, and lessons learned.
