gunpowder, and shot. It was no secret that men were drilling in villages throughout Massachusetts. When these men heard their signal (a drum beat or church bell), they left their plows and forges, grabbed their weapons, and ran to their assigned meeting place. Because they trained to be ready for action at a moment's notice, they were called “Minute Men.” When Gage heard about all this activity, he ordered his soldiers to fortify the outskirts of Boston and sent to London for more troops. “If you think ten thousand men sufficient, send twenty,” he wrote.

 When King George heard that the colonists were arming themselves he felt betrayed. Parliament declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion and ordered General Gage to bring the disloyal colony to its knees.

 Gage learned that the colonists had stockpiled a large store of military supplies in Concord (about 20 miles from Boston). He readied his soldiers to march there to destroy the arms, gunpowder, candles, and medicines. Concord was also the meeting place of the rebellious leaders of Massachusetts. Gage had special orders to arrest the biggest troublemakers, Samuel Adams and John Hancock.

 Seven hundred British troops left Boston on this mission. Under the cover of darkest night, with oars muffled, they paddled across the town's Charles River. But their mission was no secret—the patriots had learned about General Gage's plan. (Some say they found out from the general's American wife!) By a pre-arranged signal, silversmith and patriot Paul Revere let watchful friends know about the British troop movement. Two lanterns hung from a church steeple told friends across the river that the British were coming by sea. If the soldiers had marched out of Boston by land, one lantern would have been hung. Then Revere set out on horseback to nearby Lexington, where Adams and Hancock were staying, to warn them. He shouted the news of the British march to people in villages along the way.

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The red-coated soldiers marched in step through the night. As the sun rose, they were near Lexington. Here the advance troops were faced with Minute Men—teenagers and grandfathers, fathers and sons—lined up along the village green. “Disperse, ye Rebels! Lay down your arms and disperse!” shouted British Major John Pitcairn. The Americans, greatly outnumbered, began to break rank and walk away, though few laid down their arms. At that moment, a shot went off. No one knows who fired it; it may have been an accident. But when the British soldiers heard it, they began firing at will. Eight Americans were killed.