American Revolution: The British Army advances up the Charles River in Massachusetts to destroy supplies of American militias, while Paul Revere and other riders rapidly warn the countryside.

American Revolution

1765–1783 colonial rebellion in North America

The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British rule to form the United States of America. The revolutionary era reached its zenith with the American Revolutionary War, which commenced on…

British Army during the American Revolutionary War

The British Army during the American Revolutionary War served for eight years of armed conflict, fought in eastern North America, the Caribbean, and elsewhere from April 19, 1775 until the treaty ending the war, September 3, 1783. Britain had no European allies in the war, which…

Charles River

River in Massachusetts, United States

The Charles River, sometimes called the River Charles or simply the Charles, is an 80-mile-long (129 km) river in eastern Massachusetts. It flows northeast from Hopkinton to Boston along a highly meandering route, that doubles back on itself several times and travels through 23…

Province of Massachusetts Bay

British colony in North America from 1691 to 1776

The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a colony in New England which became one of the thirteen original states of the United States. It was chartered on October 7, 1691, by William III and Mary II, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and was…

Militia

Force of non-professional soldiers

A militia is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or serve as a pool of available manpower for…

Paul Revere

American silversmith and Patriot in the American Revolution (1735–1818)

Paul Revere was an American silversmith, military officer and industrialist who played a major role during the opening months of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, engaging in a midnight ride in 1775 to alert nearby minutemen of the approach of British troops prior…

Paul Revere's midnight ride

1775 event of the American Revolution

Paul Revere's midnight ride was an alert given to minutemen in the Province of Massachusetts Bay by local Patriots on the night of April 18, 1775, warning them of the approach of British Army troops prior to the battles of Lexington and Concord. In the preceding weeks, Patriots…

April 18

Day of the year

April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 257 days remain until the end of the year.