The first battle of the Revolutionary War, often referred to as the Battles of Lexington and Concord, marked the beginning of the American struggle for independence from British rule. On April 19, 1775, in the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord, colonial militiamen clashed with British regulars in a confrontation that would ignite a revolution and alter the course of history.
What happened remains a point of contention. A shot rang out, the origin unknown. It would be known as “the shot heard ‘round the world” by poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. The British regulars opened fire. The militia, caught off guard, returned a few scattered shots. The skirmish lasted mere minutes. The causalities were light but its impact was the birth of a new nation that would one day be known as the United States of America.
A ragtag group of men would found the most powerful country in history. What followed was the Declaration of Independence a little over a year later. Later, what were known as the Articles of Confederation as the basis of a new government, later cast aside in favor of the Constitution of the United States. When asked what type of government had been put together, Benjamin Franklin declared, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
Perhaps we have succeeded in preserving the legacy entrusted to us, or perhaps we’ve allowed the principles of liberty to gradually slip through our fingers, lost forever. It would be a fascinating experiment to test this, but unfortunately, we can only do so through speculation, as the true test is beyond our reach, but we can play.
Two hundred and fifty years later, imagine resurrecting the Founders of this nation for a single day to hear their thoughts on our present state. As they return to their graves, would they shake their heads in disappointment, or would they depart with a nod of approval, saying, “Well done”?
BAL124958 The Battle of Lexington, April 19th 1775, from ‘Connecticut Historical Collections’, by John Warner Barber, engraved by A. Doolittle, 1832 (coloured engraving) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add. info.: beginning of US War of Independence; first engraved in 1775); American, out of copyright