Two hundred forty years ago next weekend...

Boston stood isolated. The British Empire's colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America had largely governed themselves for more than a century, building new homes and policies under a policy of benign neglect from the central government in London. Faced with the need to repay crushing war debts, the Empire had imposed taxes and asserted its right to intervene in colonial affairs as it wished. Colonists resisted, defending their rights to liberty as Englishmen, and a political struggle for the future of the colonies--and the Empire--ensued for nearly a decade. Events such as the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party and phrases such as "taxation without representation" became dominated news and debate in the colonies and in Mother England.

The Empire chose to make an example of the Massachusetts colony, closing the port of Boston, effectively ending self-government in the colony, and rushing additional troops to enforce its decrees. Throughout the colony, local groups of citizens ejected royal officials and set up alternative governments. Communities expanded their local militias, increased training and raced to acquire arms and ammunition to defend their liberty, while the King's army launched raids to seize gunpowder and weapons to deprive the colonists of the means of resistance. As tensions rose, colonial and loyalist spies and informants strove desperately to learn their opponents' secret plans in order to wrest an advantage in a coming conflict that was seen to be all but inevitable.

On April 18, 1775, the Empire's authority in Massachusetts extended no further than the bayonets of its soldiers quartered in Boston...but the royal Governor had a plan to begin retaking the colony for the Crown. The previous week, a patriot silversmith in Boston had told his comrades outside of the city he would post a signal--"one if by land, two if by sea"--if the royal troops prepared to march on the countryside. This day, colonists in Boston noted unusual garrison activity and the lowering of boats from royal warships throughout the harbor, and sent reports to patriot leaders. Two couriers prepared to warn the countryside even before the troops began to secretly board boats after dark. The events of the next twenty-four hours, and the personal choices made by thousands of men and women, in small towns with names like Lexington, Concord and Menotomy, would change the course of history...


That's how our nation's founders spent April 18 & 19, 1775. How will you spend April 18 & 19, 2015?

The Project Appleseed marksmanship and heritage clinics in Bellevue, Fenton, and Niles still have spaces available. Come on out! Register at www.appleseedinfo.org