That. Over the next 90 minutes, with the help of Comcast Cable partners, we is at the site at the center of over revolutions, including waldo pond and the orchard house. We begin and northbridge and the shot heard around the world. By the bridge, here the embattled farmers stood and fired the shot heard round the world. Minutemen National Historical park was established to celebrate the activities and events which took place on april 19 1775. Behind me is northbridge. This is considered to be the beginning of the american revolution, because it was here that colonial militia and british regulars encountered one another, shots were fired, and lives were lost on both sides. More importantly, it was where the colonial militia was ordered to fire upon the kings troops creating in essence an act of treason. Massachusetts was a royal colony. There have been tensions growing with the mother country cents since the 1770s. Thomas gage was appointed to oversee. What started to happen was, as the decade were on, the were a series of events that would take place including the boston massacre and the boston tea party. The tea party was the destruction of private property. Because of the destruction, the Royal Authority had to punish Massachusetts Bay colony. One of these punishments included a series of acts, called the intolerable acts. So, you have the bringing in of a british governor, the closing of the port of boston, and the Boston Government was shut down. In essence what that meant was any town in the colony, they were not allowed to meet. This was an affront to how people have been governing themselves for almost 100 years. You have a series of responses that take place, among those responses, the reactivation of the militia system. An offshoot, something called the minute companies are formed. Equippedhey are better are required to turn out at a moments notice. You have these militia and minute companies preparing for something. Was aware of the growing tensions in the colony. He was also aware of armaments collect around the colony as well. Some are stolen and secretive out of boston. And for Breast Cancer in particular interest that he wants to reclaim. The home of colonel james baird would be a place where some of them are stored. We will get to that in a few moments. Because of tension rising thomas april to seize these arms and armor meant that had been collected. He wanted to do it in a very secretive fashion. When he gathered british soldiers come on out here to concord to collect these arms it was not a bestkept secret. System of alarm writers that were set up in boston as well as the colonies, word got out paul revere and william dog will spread the word of the british army who are now on the march out. If the british army marches down from boston in the Early Morning they encounter 77 militia men on lexington green. Nobody knows who did it but shots were fired that morning. You will have seven and eight colonials who will die. There continue to march here toward concord. The concord, lincoln and bedford militias that gathered in the Early Morning were over an area. They will see the sheer size in number. Britishe ahead of the by 500 yards. The colonials will come into concord and come out here area and gohbridge across the area. The main, the british army gets into concord. 120 soldiers are dispatched to go towards the farm. Another additional 90 soldiers are sent to guard the bridge and the roadway. We are leaving northbridge parking lot right now, and we are on her way to the farm. It is just under two miles. So, it was not in the center of town. It was certainly out a bit. On the morning of april 19, colonel barry was not in the farm colonel barret was not in the farm. He was already out gathering the concord militia. This area would have been devoid of a lot of trees. Some of the houses you see today are monitored are modern, but some are closer to the period. Most of the people if they had farms outside the town, they would have an out Building Support the farm. So, the building coming up on my right is the barret farmhouse. So, we have gotten out of the car, and we are underway to barrets farm. This is where general thomas gage had ordered his soldiers to look for governments presumably in the basement of the house. However, colonel barrett had secretive the arms had secreted the arms away before him. Beforehand. They were searching for the candid reported to be in the basement of this house. Barrett. Untered mrs. After searching nothing was found, during this time period some of the finish soldiers asked for food and something to drink as they had enough is the day before. Had been up since the day before. She refused to accept any payment however some of the soldiers through some shillings upon her feet. Up andy gathered back marched toward concord. The1 30 they encountered northbridge and saw something had taken place right there. Meanwhile back in concord, a lot of wooden implements used to andy kamman are gathered up burned in the center of town. The british were ordered to stop the fire, but over on the hill be gathering colonials whose strength is now up to about 400 see smoke rising from the village of concord. They do what most people assume when the house is on fire. They gather up, and they move on down with muskets loaded. Having just seen the colonials descending upon him, he panics and pulls the soldiers over to the side of the bridge. As they move over to the side of the bridge, some confusion occurs and a few shots are fired. The fire upon the colonials, and they do kill two soldiers. One is a captain, and the other is a private. The americans and colonials fireback. The americans and colonials are given the order to fire back upon the british soldiers. Teedo british soldiers will be two british soldiers will be carried off immediately. We are not far from the center of concord. Lieutenant Francis Smith in concord starts to come up, and he encounters the british that are retreating back into concord. It is at this point colonials arent sure what to do. Some people break rank and others gather up over the hill. Lowe is a quiet, there is a. This takes place at 11 30 when the british were out of the farm , they see something had happened. They get a little concerned. In fact one of the british soldiers was mingled very badly in the altercation that a rumor starts to spread that the colonials were scalping british soldiers. Mission was complete the army starts together backup and starts to prepare the long and arduous march back that will make for a very long day. This would have also been part of the british army coming into concord and going back out of concord. It may not be obvious but on your lefthand side along this road but behind it there is this rich. That actually serves as cover for when the colonial was gathering and reforming after the battle took place and the british marched into concord and reorganized and started marching back out. Along the way you are having minute Militia Companies that are key and strength. By time they are on the other side will go by the corners. This is about a thousand. And now the petitioner outnumbered. Im shocked at how well and how organized is was. There was a sense that this could happen. I dont think he and a lot of the british soldiers realize the sheer number they will be turning out. We coming to miriams corner. And heres where the running that will begin right by miriam family. The concord militia does from the other kong other company in lincoln, they will gather here at the british start coming out later in the afternoon. He knew he had to go through this area and there was a point on the road that got very narrow. You had a tiny bridge, so they had to march 3 abreast. Nonetheless the army comes on through. Most of the army gets through. In units andurns fires back. From this location all the way back through charlestown youre going to have this battle that is going to take place. At the end of the day 700 soldiers make a way back towards lexington. Willadditional soldiers gather with these panicky soldiers at this location. Inonial forces keep building strength. At the end of the day approximately 4000 colonial soldiers are starting to descend upon the kings forces who are now retreating back to boston. The battle that will take place from this point all the way back to boston will claim the lives of nearly 300 british soldiers. That is killed, wounded, and missing. The colonial forces only had about 93 killed, wounded, or missing. This is the beginning of the siege of boston, the beginning of the american revolution. Because of the bloodshed that took place on both sides and because the americans and colonials were ordered to fire on the british, and because the british broke and ran, this was considered the beginning of the american revolution. It would not be for another couple of years before we declare our independence in 1776. It was first thought to be just a massachusetts issue, it was quickly found out to be more than just massachusetts as time would tell