The American Revolution and Founding Documents

The War Begins: Lexington to Valley Forge#

The Shot Heard 'Round the World#

The American Revolution began on April 19, 1775, in the towns of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. British troops marched to seize colonial weapons stored at Concord. Paul Revere and other riders warned colonists the night before.

At Lexington, a small group of Minutemen (colonial militia ready to fight at a minute's notice) faced the British soldiers. Shots were fired — no one knows who shot first — and the war had begun. The colonists forced the British to retreat from Concord and harassed them all the way back to Boston. This opening battle has been called 'the shot heard 'round the world.'

The Second Continental Congress (1775)#

With the war begun, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. This body became the governing authority for the colonies. One of its most important decisions was appointing George Washington as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

Early Challenges#

The Continental Army faced enormous difficulties:

• Poorly equipped and trained compared to the professional British army
• Struggles to recruit and keep soldiers (short-term enlistments)
• Poor supply chain — short on food, ammunition, and clothing

Valley Forge (1777–1778): The Continental Army's winter encampment near Philadelphia became a symbol of American perseverance. In brutal cold with inadequate supplies, Washington's army endured — and emerged stronger under the training of Prussian officer Baron von Steuben.

Key Early Battles#

Battle of Bunker Hill (1775): Though the British won, the colonists showed they could fight — sustaining heavy British casualties before retreating.

Battle of Trenton (1776): Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas night; a surprise attack that revitalized American morale.