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In between fireworks and grilling meat, I decided some education was in store for my geeklets during the long Fourth of July weekend. The holiday is a celebration of American Independence and my kids are old enough to start learning some of that history. Since I live in Boston, I have lots of choices when it comes to seeing the sites of the American Revolution.
I decided to start at the beginning.
And the shot heard 'round the world
Was the start of the Revolution.
The Minute Men were ready, on the move.
Take your powder, and take your gun.
Report to General Washington.
We started our journey in Lexington Center and the Battle Green. It was here, on April 19, 1775, where the first shots were fired. A few dozen colonials lined up as a show of force when several hundred British regulars approached. A shot was fired, but we're not sure who fired first. The Battle of Lexington began
The Battle Green is a classic New England Common, sprinkled with monuments to the events on that milestone of a day. I sent the kids on a hunt to find the markers. A historic treasure hunt for them.
The Colonials had gathered on the green because they had heard the warnings from Paul Revere and William Dawes. Each had taken a separate route from Boston to warn the militia leaders in Concord. The call was most likely "The Regulars are coming!" not "The British are coming!" I think most of us are familiar with Longfellow's poem, "Paul Revere's Ride." It's just a poem and not historically accurate.
Revere never made it to Concord, but we would.
The Minute Man National Historic Park is just a short ride up Mass. Ave. from the Battle Green. Our first stop was the visitors center near the beginning of the Battle Road. You should stop in and watch The Road To Revolution, a 30-minute movie that gives an excellent introduction to the historic events of April 19, 1775.
Although we drove the Battle Road, it's also great to walk or bike ride. The Battle Road Trail runs for five miles from the eastern boundary of the park in Lexington to Meriam’s Corner in Concord. Most of the trail follows original remnants of the Battle Road. Some sections follow the route of the Minute Men through farm fields, wetlands, and forests.
Our next stop was the Old North Bridge, site of Ralph Waldo Emerson's original "shot heard ‘round the world." It's a beautiful spot with a replica of the bridge set in the beautifully restored landscape. The Concord River flows sleepily under the bridge, usually with a few canoes or kayaks passing through.
We continued our march from the North Bridge to the visitor center, located in a brick mansion on a hill overlooking the bridge. Of the several displays inside, the most important is a brass cannon dubbed "The Hancock."
In 1775, "The Hancock" was one of four cannons smuggled out of Boston and hidden in Concord. Their recovery was one of General Gage's chief motives when he sent British troops to Concord on April 19, 1775.
From the battle at the North Bridge, the British were routed and fled back to Boston, getting shot at by the Minute Men along the Battle Road. The first victory of the revolution.
Instead of fleeing like the British, we decided to end our day here. There are several other interesting sites in the area related to the the Revolutionary War.
It was a hot summer day and my kids had done a lot of walking (as had their dad). I thought ice cream would be better than any more history lessons. Bedford Farms ice cream all around.
