The first battle of the Revolutionary War was the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
While they are almost always put together and for good reason, they were actually two separate battles that culminated in a desperate retreat by the British.
The battle was significant and usually carries the phrase "Shot heard round the world" with it.
However, the question is why were the Battles of Lexington and Concord important.
The war did not end, and in fact, it only served to wake the British up from their slumber and fully commit to the Revolutionary War. So why is it so important?
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1. It Established a Precedent on how to Succeed to Defeat the British
The British Army was the most well-disciplined and well-equipped army in the world. They could stand muzzle to muzzle with any army on earth and not flinch.
So when they marched to Lexington and scattered the Minutemen waiting there, it was not a surprise, but from that point forward in the battle, the Americans fought differently.
They fought like Native Americans, and that is how wars were fought in the New World.
When the British arrived in Concord, the colonists were ready for them and forced them to retreat, and from that point of the battle, the British were harassed and almost destroyed if not for commander Percy coming to the aid of the depleted and almost trapped army.
These tactics would be employed throughout the war. It was not about taking the field against the British. Instead, it was important to inflict casualties, cause disruptions, and then disappear.
Francis Marion, Daniel Morgan, and others would build on this tactic and turn the war for the Americans.
It was imperative for the inexperienced militia to have cover while firing, similar to how they hunted wild game because that is what they were familiar with.
2. Caused The Continental Congress to take the Rebellion Seriously
The Continental Congress had just been formed when the battle occurred. Prior to that, the colonies had experienced the Intolerable Acts, Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, and other forms of taxation that had frustrated them, but never any military action.
Colonies did not like the taxation but believed they could persuade the British with boycotts and acts like the Boston Tea Party.
Lexington and Concord showed what lengths the British were willing to go to. However, it still did not convince the colonies to declare independence, but it did start the conversation. The Olive Branch Petition was written and sent to King George III. He would dismiss it immediately and not take it seriously.
3. It Bottled ut the British
After the battle was over, it pushed the British out of the countryside and into Boston, where they were left vulnerable. The colonists then began the siege of Boston, which would result in the Battle of Bunker Hill, another disaster for the British.
The British and Thomas Gage were outnumbered in Boston, so they had to take defensive positions in order to stop the offensive maneuvers of the colonists.
The siege would end when the British left after George Washington placed guns on Dorchester Heights.
4. It Showed the British could be Beaten
Morale is important in war, and if the British would have won the battle, then there is a good chance the Revolutionary War would have never been fought. However, when militia from the Boston countryside defeats the British, it showed the American fighting spirit could win.
Soon, men from many of the colonies ventured to Boston to take part in the fight. Men like Nathanael Greene organized their own men and marched to Boston to fight.
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first domino to fall in a string of dominos that would lead to the Declaration of Independence.