19 April

In 1775, the American Revolutionary War began with the battles of Lexington and Concord.

“As to the history of the revolution, my ideas may be peculiar, perhaps singular. What do we mean by the revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution; it was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people, and this was effected from 1760 to 1775, in the course of fifteen years, before a drop of blood was shed at Lexington.”

—John Adams

Above: Howard Pyle’s 1898 painting of The Fight on Lexington Common, April 19, 1775.