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Fighting for Freedom

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

It was April 19, 1775. About 70 American fighters had gathered in Lexington, Massachusetts. Minutes later, roughly 100 British soldiers marched into town. They were called Redcoats because of the color of their uniforms. A gunshot rang out. Soon eight Americans were dead. The war for America’s independence had begun. 

At the time, the United States did not yet exist. America was made up of 13 Colonies. They were ruled by Great Britain. Many American colonists did not like living under British rule. By 1775, they were fed up.

After the clash in Lexington, British troops marched toward the town of Concord. The Redcoats weren’t worried about having to fight the colonists. After all, British troops were some of the best soldiers in the world. Many of the American fighters were farmers or shopkeepers. But the British were in for a surprise.

Hundreds of colonists had rushed to Concord to face off against the British. Shots were fired on both sides. 

The Americans proved to be better soldiers than the British had imagined. By the end of the fighting, about 250 Redcoats were dead or hurt. Meanwhile, only about 90 colonists had been killed or hurt. 

The battles of Lexington and Concord kicked off the American Revolution. Eight years later, the colonists would win their long fight for independence. 

  1. What does the article mean when it says that “at the time, the United States did not yet exist”?
  2. According to the article, how did American fighters compare with British troops in 1775?
  3. Based on the article, why were the battles of Lexington and Concord important events in U.S. history?
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