The holiday commemorates the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. Specifically, it marks the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which took place on April 19, 1775, in Massachusetts. The observance honors the colonial militiamen, often called Minutemen, who confronted British forces on that day, initiating the armed conflict that led to American independence.
The events commemorated began with the midnight rides of Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott, who warned of the British army's advance from Boston to seize colonial military supplies stored in Concord. The first conflict occurred at dawn on Lexington Green, where a small group of militiamen faced a much larger British contingent. The fighting escalated at Concord's North Bridge, where colonial forces successfully repelled a British detachment. The subsequent British retreat to Boston was characterized by continuous guerilla-style attacks from colonial militias, demonstrating their resolve and marking a significant symbolic victory for the colonists.
Primarily observed in Massachusetts and Maine on the third Monday in April, the day is marked by historical reenactments, parades, and civic ceremonies. The most widely known modern observance is the Boston Marathon, which has been run on this holiday since 1897. Ultimately, the day serves as a remembrance of the citizen-soldiers who defended their communities and signifies the transition from political dissent to open warfare in the pursuit of American liberty.
