Massachusetts → Pennsylvania → Virginia
The Road to Revolution
From the first shots to the final surrender
Follow the American Revolution from the Lexington green where it began, through the halls where independence was declared, to the Virginia field where the war was won.
6 stops · roughly 542 miles end to end
The itinerary
- 1
Lexington Battle Green
Lexington, Massachusetts
At dawn, some 700 British soldiers marching to seize colonial arms confronted about 80 minutemen on Lexington's common. Eight Americans died — the opening casualties of the Revolutionary War.
American Revolution - 2
Old North Bridge
Concord, Massachusetts
Hours after Lexington, colonial militia massed at Concord's North Bridge and exchanged fire with British regulars, forcing their retreat to Boston. Emerson's 'Concord Hymn' immortalized the moment.
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Independence Hall
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Originally the Pennsylvania State House, this brick Georgian building hosted the Second Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. The Liberty Bell once hung in its tower.
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St. John's Church
Richmond, Virginia
The Second Virginia Convention met here, beyond reach of the royal governor. Patrick Henry's speech persuaded delegates — including Washington and Jefferson — to arm the colony's militia.
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Yorktown Battlefield
Yorktown, Virginia
A combined American and French force trapped the British army against the York River while the French fleet blocked escape by sea. The siege's end secured American independence.
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Colonial Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Virginia
As Virginia's colonial capital, Williamsburg was a center of revolutionary politics. Restored in the 20th century, it is now the largest living-history museum in the country.
American Revolution