Articles Tagged with ''american revolution''

Arlington, Massachusetts, a town steeped in history and natural beauty, is also a vibrant center for arts, culture, and dining. Birthplace of Uncle Sam, the town boasts a legacy of heroes, from Revolutionary War Patriots like David Lamson to abolitionist Prince Hall. From its historic landmarks to its contemporary art scene, Arlington offers a rich tapestry of experiences for residents and visitors alike. 

Arlington’s history is deeply intertwined with the American Revolution. History has highlighted the Battles of Lexington and Concord, but a third battle occurred on the fateful day of April 19, 1775, – the Battle of Menotomy. 

Few places in America capture the spirit and legacy of a nation quite like Minute Man National Historical Park – located along the “Battle Road” corridor of Concord, Lincoln, and Lexington, Massachusetts. It was here that the first running battles of the American Revolution took place on April 19, 1775. Later, in the 19th century, Concord became the epicenter of a literary, philosophical, and environmental movement that endures today. Revolutions—whether on the battlefield or in the mind—demand vision, dedication, and sacrifice. The same is true for preserving the rich history to be found in these remarkable places.

What happened on April 19, 1775? Explore this illustrated timeline for the full story. 

The Acton Minutemen were formed at the end of 1774 at a town meeting. Tensions with England had grown to a boil, and towns everywhere were responding by training their men to fight. The town of Acton, which had previously been part of Concord, chose their best men from their existing militia units to form the new Minute Company, and those men voted 30-year-old Isaac Davis as their captain.

It was the law of the land that every man between the ages of 16 and 60 was required to serve in his town’s militia. They were not paid and met twice each year to conduct marching and musket drills. By contrast, minute companies were paid and met twice each week to drill and train and were arguably among the best trained soldiers in the area when hostilities broke out in April of 1775.

April 19, 1775, marked the first battle of the American Revolution. On that day, 700 British soldiers marched from Boston to Concord to seize a stockpile of military arms and supplies. The expedition caused Patriot leaders to raise the alarm and muster the militia. The scale of the response is truly staggering and hints at a surprising amount of organization. 

On the morning of April 19, 1775, over 700 King’s troops marched into Concord to search for military supplies that spies had told Royal Governor Gage were being hidden there to support a rebellion against the King. Their search met unexpected resistance, exploding into a day-long battle over eighteen miles from Concord to Boston with fighting on open ground and from behind trees and stone walls. Today, you can retrace the soldiers’ steps along the Battle Road and imagine the landscape and walls as they were that day thanks, in part, to a 2024 project by Minute Man National Historical Park to rebuild the park’s historic stone walls in Concord, Lincoln, and Lexington. Led by Michael Papile, a team of professional stone wallers affiliated with The Stone Trust (an organization dedicated to preserving and advancing the art of dry stone walling) restored these walls. Stone by stone, stories of time were put back together.

On February 26, 1775, a confrontation occurred in the port town of Salem, Massachusetts, today known as “The Salem Affair.” Although many historians gloss over this event, it nearly triggered the start of the American Revolution and accelerated Massachusetts’ wartime preparations.

The American Revolution, a new six-part, 12-hour series directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt and written by Geoffrey Ward will premiere on PBS on November 16, 2025. The series examines how America’s creation turned the world upside-down. Thirteen British colonies on the Atlantic Coast rose in rebellion, won their independence, and established a new form of government that radically reshaped the continent and inspired centuries of democratic movements around the globe. 

Discover Concord magazine had the privilege of speaking with the filmmakers about their experience here in the Concord and Lexington area and what it meant to them to film such an important documentary about the war that would launch the United States of America into being.

Since 2000, many reenactors have asserted that haversacks were commonly worn by Massachusetts militia and minute companies when they fielded against British forces on April 19, 1775. The two most common arguments advanced have been that militia and minutemen were in possession of haversacks because they were previously issued to Massachusetts troops during the French and Indian War, or that the item was acquired on the eve of the American Revolution from a third-party source.

Unfortunately, neither argument is valid.

Early this year, National Park Service archeologists working at Minute Man National Historical Park discovered five musket balls that were fired during the world-changing event known as “The Shot Heard Round the World” on April 19, 1775.

 Early analysis of the 18th-century musket balls indicates they were fired by colonial militia members at British forces during the North Bridge fight.