America’s independence was ignited in Massachusetts, where the spirit of revolution spread across its cities, towns, and countryside. From the first shots fired at Lexington and Concord to the significant battles that took place throughout the state, these events from 1775-1783 paved the way to victory in the Revolutionary War. We call this journey The Liberty Trail.
We invite you to visit the preserved locations along the Liberty Trail and to immerse
yourself in the extraordinary events that determined the fate of a nation.
A British officer who led the troops during the April 1775 march to Lexington and Concord, Smith is remembered for commanding the British forces in the opening battles of the American Revolution, facing both praise and criticism for his actions.
A passionate Patriot and key figure in early American resistance, Joseph Warren played a crucial role in organizing militias, warning leaders of the British approach, and commanding troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill, where he was killed in action.
A Loyalist and Massachusetts governor, Hutchinson supported British policies that fueled colonial unrest, such as the Stamp and Tea Acts, leading to events like the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party.
Regarded as the first martyr of the American Revolution, Crispus Attucks was the first to fall in the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. Of African and Native American descent, he became a powerful symbol of the fight for liberty, later embraced by abolitionists as a hero of both American independence and the struggle for equality.
