Patriots' Day is an American civic holiday that commemorates the first armed conflicts of the American Revolutionary War. It signifies the definitive start of the war for independence from British rule, marking the moment colonial resistance transitioned from political protest to open military engagement on April 19, 1775.
The holiday specifically memorializes the Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. On that date, British regulars marched from Boston to seize a colonial arms cache in Concord. They were intercepted by colonial militia, known as Minutemen, first on Lexington Green and later at the North Bridge in Concord. The confrontations, including the engagement often referred to as the "shot heard 'round the world," resulted in the first casualties of the war and forced a British retreat back to Boston, galvanizing colonial resolve across the Thirteen Colonies.
Observed primarily in Massachusetts, Maine, and Wisconsin on the third Monday in April, the day's significance is honored through historical reenactments, parades, and educational programs. Culturally, it is also closely associated with the running of the Boston Marathon, an event that embodies the themes of endurance and community spirit, connecting the historical commemoration to a major contemporary civic tradition.
