History Short: Shot Heard 'round the World

“The shot heard 'round the world.” A phrase – coined by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his poem, Concord Hymn – refers to the first shot fired in the Revolutionary War.

On April 18th, 1775, British troops began their march from Boston to Lexington, on a mission to confiscate the colonists' weapons and ammo, and to capture Patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock.

The famous 'midnight ride of Paul Revere’ occurred that same night. William Dawes and Samuel Prescott also rode to warn Lexington and Concord about the pending arrival of the British.

At dawn on April 19th, as the redcoats came into view, 77 Minutemen stood ready on the Lexington Green to protect and defend their families, their property, and their way of life. Captain John Parker lead them. He told his men “Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here!” . . . and begin it did.

It remains unknown to this day who actually fired the first shot, or from which side it occurred. But the fight for America's independence had begun, and soon the world would fully understand the colonists' determination to live in Freedom. 💗 🇺🇸