The Battle Of Lexington And Concord Essay Example

📌Category: History, History of the United States, War
📌Words: 539
📌Pages: 2
📌Published: 08 February 2022

Many have heard the stories of Paul Revere expressing his famous phrase, “the British are coming,” as he rode from town to town warning the colonies of what awaited them the following morning. The battles of Lexington and Concord were the final sparks needed to set ablaze the revolution that had been threatening the colonies since the end of the seven years war. Tensions had been building up between the colonies and Great Britain as Britain attempted to collect taxes from the colonies. In an attempt to restore peace in the colonies, the British deployed troops to Lexington and Concord to seize colonial gunpowder and “‘bag’ the rebel ring leaders.” They were met with resistance and it ended with weapons being drawn and bloodshed from both groups. The battles of Lexington and Concord showed the British that the Americans would fight back and their victory at Concord indicated they might have a chance at winning. The colonies were no longer fighting for respect from Britain, they were fighting for independence and thus led to the start of the revolutionary war.   

The battles of Lexington and Concord were orchestrated as a way to prevent the formation of a rebellion but in turn, it sparked the first battle of the war. Upon arriving, the 700 British soldiers were met by 77 militiamen. This battle is oftentimes named the “Lexington Massacre” due to the number of casualties the Americans faced. Tensions between the two parties were already nearing a breaking point and members from both sides were looking for a way to enact revenge. The drive the colonies had to stay and fight even though they were outnumbered revealed to Britain that they would not be pushed around. The battle of Lexington lasted a total of 15 minutes and after killing 8 and wounding 9 militiamen, the British moved on to Concord.

The battle of Concord was significant because it showed the Americans that they might just have a shot of winning the war. Britain was known as a global superpower at the time. They had the strengths of a large army, wealth, and naval support. The odds were not in favor of the colonies but things changed after the battle at Concord. The British were pushed out by the Americans and forced to retreat. Minuteman quickly outnumbered the British as they trailed them for 18 miles.  The British, taken off guard, were unable to properly defend themselves which led to a total of 250 British casualties while the Americans only suffered 90 casualties. The British severely underestimated the courage and determination of the colonists which led to the first American victory of the war. This set the stage for the Americans revealing that they were capable of holding their own against one of the most powerful armies on the planet.  

Following this battle, the British were now aware that the revolutionary war was inevitable.  These two battles demonstrated that the Americans were not only resilient but they would no longer follow the rules established by the king. There are many different theories of the cause of the revolution but the battles of Lexington and Concord were the essential cause of the war. It forced Britian to realize that they no longer had control of the colonists while proving to the colonists that they were capable of fighting and winning a war. This battle was the final push the colonists needed to begin the fight for their freedom and their liberty.

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