Battle of Lexington and Concord

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Battle of Lexington and Concord
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Warm Up Questions

• What were the role of spies in the
  pre-revolutionary period?
• Was Paul Revere a spy? Provide evidence to
  support your answer.
• What was the reasons why General Gage sent troops
  to Lexington and Concord?
• What was the mission of the midnight riders?

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Background

• Just before the Battle
• Some 4,000 redcoats were stationed in Boston
• General Gage sent 700 troops to Concord, Mass. on
  April 18, 1775
• To destroy or capture the ammunition and guns the
  colonists had accumulated in Concord
• Planned to arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams
  two prominent patriot leaders
• The midnight riders alerted the towns and the
  colonists prepared for the arrival of the British
  soldiers

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The Battle

• The New England governments are in a state of
  rebellion.
• King George
• Colonists were prepared for a fight
• Minutemen were called upon to fight
• When the British arrived, Captain Jonas Parker
  and 70 minutemen were waiting
• April 19, 1775 THE SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD
• A British commander ordered the Americans to drop
  their weapons
• They refused, and shots were fired
• No one knows who fired the first shot

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Battle cont..

• There was an exchange of gunfire, and the
  Minutemen fled
• British marched to Concord
• Destroyed the towns supplies
• Militia men were beginning to come from all over
  the area
• A skirmish broke out at Concords North Bridge
• British retreated to Boston
• Were fired upon the whole way back
• Gage sent 1500 more soldiers to avoid disaster

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Battle cont

• The Revolutionary War had begun
• After the first day of fighting
• British casualties 273
• American casualties less than 100
• Mass. Sent militia to capture two forts
• Ticonderoga and Crowne Point
• For a brief moment in history, farmers stood up
  to the greatest military in the world
• This empire defeated the French and Spanish!!

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Lexington and Concord
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Road between Lex and Con
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Map of the Battle
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Old North Bridge
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Old North Bridge
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In Memory
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What This All Means

• A brothers sword has been sheathed in a
  brothers heart, and the once-happy and peaceful
  plains of America are either to be drenched in
  blood or inhabited by a race of slaves. Can a
  virtuous man hesitate in his choice?
• George Washington

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Choose Your Side

• Americans now had a choice to make
• War was inevitable--the British would send more
  troops and fight
• Who do the Americans side with??
• Patriots those who sided with the revolutionary
  cause (called rebels)
• Loyalists those who supported the British
• The decisions made would tear apart communities,
  family and friends

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Which side would you choose?

• Patriots
• Pros
• Independence and the chance to form your own
  nation
• No longer under the tyrannical rule of the
  British
• Have the peace and prosperity sought after
• Cons
• Labeled as traitors, punishable by death
• Creating your own government
• Preparing to fight the greatest military power in
  the world without an army

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Which side would you choose?

• Loyalists
• Pros
• Maintain the status quo
• Continue to have the same freedoms as before
  just have the rights addressed
• Protection given by the greatest military in the
  world
• Cons
• Labeled as traitors
• No ability to participate in creation of
  government
• Going against communities, family and friends

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Loyalist Vs. Patriot Debate

• The colonists believed in the idea of sharing
  ideas and opinions in the form of debates You
  will have a debate against one another
• Each group member will come up with 10 arguments
  supporting their side (Loyalist or Patriot)
• Why you are a Patriot, or Loyalist
• Tomorrow, you will organize your arguments with
  your group members
• You will choose 4 members to represent your side
• As a group, you will create an opening argument
  at least 2-5 minutes long
• You will discuss potential arguments the other
  side will have and try to counter them with your
  own

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Debate Rules

• I will be the mediator controlling the time and
  the flow of the debate
• One side will present an argument, followed by a
  one minute rebuttal from the other side, followed
  by a 30 second response from the presenting side
• We will alternate sides until the 10 arguments
  have been fully presented
• You will write a one page reaction to the debate
• Include your thoughts on the idea of a debate,
  and whether or not you feel this forum works