1775What was the "shot heard round the world"?
The phrase "shot heard round the world" famously comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s "Concord Hymn," commemorating the events at Concord, Massachusetts, on April 19, 1775, where the first American victory of the Revolutionary War took place. Although the day's initial shots rang out earlier in Lexington, it was at Concord’s North Bridge that colonial militiamen first returned British fire, signaling a turning point in the fight for independence. This conflict has inspired monuments such as the North Bridge obelisk dedicated in 1837 and Daniel Chester French’s iconic "Minute Man" statue, unveiled a century later in 1875 from melted Civil War cannons. Today, the legacy of these pivotal moments is celebrated each April during Massachusetts’ Patriots’ Day festivities, honoring both the struggle and the stories that shaped a nation.
