The towns of

Concord Concord may refer to: Meaning "agreement" * Pact or treaty, frequently between nations (indicating a condition of harmony) * Harmony, in music * Agreement (linguistics), a change in the form of a word depending on grammatical features of other ...

and

Lexington, Massachusetts Lexington is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Boston. The population was 34,454 as of the 2020 census. The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans, and was firs ...

, are the site of

Minute Man National Historical Park Minute Man National Historical Park commemorates the opening battle in the American Revolutionary War. It also includes the Wayside, home in turn to three noted American authors. The National Historical Park is under the jurisdiction of the Na ...

, a park governed by the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...

. The most highly attended event in the park is the annual reenactment of the first shots of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, performed by the Lexington Minute Men Company and His Majesty's Tenth Regiment of Foot.

History

On April 19, 1775, the Revolutionary War's first battle was fought on the

Lexington Battle Green The Lexington Battle Green, also known as Lexington Common, is the historic town common of Lexington, Massachusetts, United States. It was at this site that the opening shots of the Battles of Lexington and Concord were fired on April 19, 1775, st ...

. Later, as public interest grew due to the bicentennial celebration of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, volunteers began to reenact that battle every

Patriots' Day Patriots' Day (Patriot's Day in Maine) is an annual event, formalized as a legal holiday or a special observance day in six states, commemorating the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Menotomy, some of the first battles of the American Revo ...

. The Lexington Minutemen, the militia group that fought in the original battle, took the roles of the Minutemen. However, it was not until 1971 that the American Contingent of the Tenth Regiment of Foot was founded to play the roles of the British military forces.

Reenactment of the first battle of the Revolutionary War

The reenactment of the "shot heard round the world" begins at 5:30 in the morning, slightly before sunrise. The Minute Men begin on the Battle Green, while the British regulars march in. When he sees them, the captain of the Minute Men gives the others some brief words of encouragement, telling them "Steady, men! Steady, men! Stand your ground! Do not fire unless fired upon!". At 6:00 AM, the battle itself begins, and the British regulars quickly win.

Other reenactments

The Lexington Historical Society also maintains certain historical sites in their original condition. They give tours of the buildings, and for some have staff in authentic colonial garb to answer questions and explain the lifestyle of the time. One such building is Munroe Tavern, where the British set up a makeshift hospital for injured soldiers.

References

{{US-history-stub American Revolution Annual events in Massachusetts Concord, Massachusetts Lexington, Massachusetts