Tensions between Great Britain and its thirteen American colonies had been growing for years. The colonists resented the British government's policies, such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts, which imposed taxes without their consent. They also objected to the British government's attempts to control their trade and their lack of representation in Parliament.
In 1774, the colonists held the First Continental Congress to discuss their grievances with Great Britain. The Congress passed a series of resolutions, including a declaration of rights and a call for a boycott of British goods.
The British government responded to the colonists' actions by sending troops to Boston. The troops were stationed in the city, and they began to harass the colonists. In April 1775, the British government learned that the colonists were stockpiling weapons in Concord, Massachusetts. The British decided to send troops to Concord to seize the weapons.
The colonists learned of the British plans, and they began to prepare for battle. On April 18, 1775, a group of colonial militiamen confronted the British troops at Lexington. The British fired on the militiamen, and the battle of Lexington began.
The colonists won the battle of Lexington, and they continued to fight the British troops as they marched to Concord. The British destroyed some of the colonists' weapons, but the colonists were able to drive them back to Boston.
The battles of Lexington and Concord were a turning point in the American Revolution. They showed that the colonists were willing to fight for their independence, and they inspired other colonists to join the cause. The battles of Lexington and Concord are considered to be the start of the American Revolutionary War.