The Classical Historian
  • Home
    • Start Here
    • What is the Classical Historian?
    • How is our approach unique?
    • What is the Socratic Discussion in History
    • Testimonials
  • Store
    • All Products
    • Curriculum Bundles
    • Games
    • Video Courses >
      • TSOL Video Course
      • High School History with Michael Allen
    • Federal Holidays
    • Constitution Bee
    • American Civics
  • Charter/Co-ops
    • Charter/Co-ops Info
    • Teacher Training >
      • Teacher Newsletters
  • Contact
  • Support
    • Q and A
    • Free Primary Sources
    • John's Blog >
      • Jessica's Blog
    • Videos and PodCasts >
      • My Life under Communism Podcast
    • Video Samples
    • Mac
  • Online Academy
    • Online Classes Registration and Info
    • Schedule
    • Our Teachers
    • Materials
    • Samples/Testimonials
    • Login instructions
  • Dolphin Society
    • Information

Beginning of the American Revolution

4/19/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
The following is taken from The Story of Liberty, a curriculum and video course on the story of America. To learn more about The Story of Liberty, Click Here. 
​

The Beginning of the American Revolution – April 19, 1775

April 19th, 2016 is the 243rd anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolution. 243 years ago American farmers and militia fought the “British Regulars” (professional soldiers) at Concord and Lexington and chased the redcoats back to Boston. The fight is sometimes called a skirmish, because it was less than a battle. A little over a year after this fight, Americans declared their right to form a new country with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The first modern republic was born with the actions of regular citizens rejecting a government that ruled without its consent.

The skirmish at Lexington and Concord was fought because the British tried to stop the Americans from preparing for war. In 1774, American leaders at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia petitioned King George III and parliament to restore their rights. When the king and parliament refused and continued to hold the people of Boston under martial law, the Americans decided to mobilize for war. Colonists established illegal, revolutionary governments, collected taxes to fund militia and even funerals for soldiers, and established arsenals, which are warehouses for guns and ammunition. Americans were already well-armed, with each family owning several guns. However, men in villages now trained as soldiers. Some, called minutemen, were chosen and financially supported by town leaders to be prepared to fight within a minute’s notice.
 
General Gage, the commander of the British army in Boston, wanted to surprise the colonists. He ordered Major Pitcairn to march 1,000 soldiers 20 miles to Concord to destroy colonial ammunition and to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Gage did not want a fight, but wanted take weapons from Americans so they could not fight. However, Americans in Boston learned of this plan and destroyed the surprise. On the night of April 18th, 1775, a Bostonian set two lanterns in the belfry tower of the Old North Church, thus signaling three riders, Dr. Samuel Prescott, William Dawes and Paul Revere, that the British would go to Concord initially by a sea route.
 
The three riders set off from Boston to Concord, warning the colonists “The Regulars are coming! The Regulars are coming!” The “Regulars” were the professional British soldiers. The three successfully alerted the colonists to arm themselves and meet the British.

On the morning of April 19th, 1775, the American Revolution started. The British Regulars met American militia assembled in Lexington, a village along the road to Concord. When the Regulars met the Americans, it was dark. Major Pitcairn ordered the Americans to disperse. They just stood there. Then, inexplicably, a shot rang out and the fighting started. The British killed eight and the Americans scattered. The British continued their march to Concord. In Concord, the British found the weapons and destroyed them. However, the Americans managed to defeat a smaller group of the British at the Old North Bridge, and this victory energized the colonists.

The British were now twenty miles away from Boston, in the middle of hostile territory. For the rest of the day, the Regulars marched back to the city, drums beating, in formation, along a narrow road. During this march, Americans took aim at the soldiers, firing behind trees, stone walls, and fences, and then running away when any British soldier would chase them. By the end of the day, Americans had killed nearly 300 British and had lost 85 men. Though a small victory, it was seen as a great triumph of Americans over the strongest empire in the world.

Questions
  1. When did the American Revolution start?
  2. Why is it called a skirmish?
  3. Who fought for the Americans?
  4. Which side won?
  5. What were the strengths and weaknesses of the British regulars, and the American fighters, during the skirmish at Concord and Lexington?
©2016 John De Gree All Rights Reserved.#‎theclassicalhistorian‬

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    John De Gree

    John De Gree writes the current events with a look at the history of each topic. Articles are written for the young person, aged 10-18, and Mr. De Gree carefully writes so that all readers can understand the event. The perspective the current events are written in is Judeo-Christian. 

    Receive Articles and Coupons in Your Email

    Sign Up Now
    For Email Marketing you can trust.

    Archives

    September 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    December 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    October 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    September 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Categories

    All
    Abortion
    American Biographies
    American Days
    American Flag History
    America's Federal Holidays
    Asia
    Biden Presidency
    Crime
    De Gree Vacations
    Economics
    Education
    Election 2020
    Elections 2016
    Environment
    Europe
    Foreign Policy
    Gun Contol
    Health
    Immigration
    Israeli Palestinian Conflict
    Politics
    Q And A
    Religion
    Science
    Society And Culture
    Sports
    The Story Of Liberty
    Trump Presidency
    War On Terrorism
    World War II

    RSS Feed

CLASSICAL HISTORIAN MISSION
​
​
Classical Historian educates and inspires youth to seek the truth in history and to champion individual liberty and virtue. ...more

​SUPPORT
Contact us
Q & A
​Testimonials
RESOURCES
Primary Sources
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
  • Home
    • Start Here
    • What is the Classical Historian?
    • How is our approach unique?
    • What is the Socratic Discussion in History
    • Testimonials
  • Store
    • All Products
    • Curriculum Bundles
    • Games
    • Video Courses >
      • TSOL Video Course
      • High School History with Michael Allen
    • Federal Holidays
    • Constitution Bee
    • American Civics
  • Charter/Co-ops
    • Charter/Co-ops Info
    • Teacher Training >
      • Teacher Newsletters
  • Contact
  • Support
    • Q and A
    • Free Primary Sources
    • John's Blog >
      • Jessica's Blog
    • Videos and PodCasts >
      • My Life under Communism Podcast
    • Video Samples
    • Mac
  • Online Academy
    • Online Classes Registration and Info
    • Schedule
    • Our Teachers
    • Materials
    • Samples/Testimonials
    • Login instructions
  • Dolphin Society
    • Information