9781422287583

11 Lexington and Concord

Many townspeople lost their lives that day. Later, Hannah Winthrop of Boston wrote about what she saw. “We passed through the bloody field of Menotomy, which was strewn with mangled bodies,” she wrote. “We met one affectionate father with a cart looking for his murdered son and picking up his neighbors who had fallen in battle in order for their burial.” A few hours later, about 200 minutemen regrouped at Concord, a short distance away. Again, they clashed with a superior force of British soldiers. But his time, the minutemen prevailed and drove the British out of Concord. Soon, the British soldiers were in retreat, chased all the way back to Boston by a fierce and dedi- cated force of American colonists. Edward Wilson survived the fighting that day. So did his son. Sam Wilson had seen his father and his family’s friends and neighbors fight for the cause of liberty and freedom. In the years to follow, Sam Wilson—in a truly unique way—would help light the fire of patriotism that burns in the hearts of millions of Americans.

Text-Dependent Questions Who were the minutemen? Why did they come out to confront the British Army in Lexington during April 1775? Research Project The word patriot means a person who feels a strong love for and connection to their country. What are some things that you can do to show patriotism? How do most Americans react to patriotic displays and symbols?