Alerting the Countryside

The colonists resented the taxes and the lack of a voice in their government for a long time. They also felt that King George III didn't care about them. They believed that he was solely interested in their money to make himself and England rich. The patriots truly disliked the actions that King George had taken against them when he sent British soldiers to the colonies to enforce his laws. The American patriots became more and more resentful and began to make and store ammunition in different parts of the colonies, especially in Concord, Massachusetts. The colonists knew that they were breaking the law but they felt that they had to defend themselves against an unfair king. To prepare themselves for any sort of confrontation, the patriots set up a system to alert the militia and minutemen that the British Regulars (soldiers) were on their way. Paul Revere, a patriot and a member of "The Sons of Liberty", had arranged that a signal from the Old North Church bell tower in Boston be given using a lantern. If the British were coming by land, one lantern should be used. If the British were coming by sea, two lanterns were to be displayed in the church bell tower. On the evening of April 18, 1775, the signal from the Old North Church sent Paul Revere, William Dawes, and other riders through the countryside awakening every household announcing that the British were on their way to Lexington from Boston. Church bells began to peel, drums began to beat, and gun shots began to roar, warning all patriots of the imminent danger and the call to arms of the militia and minutemen.

The Hancock-Clarke House in Lexington (yellow house with red door) was the destination of Paul Revere and William Dawes on the night of April 18, 1775 to warn the sleeping Samuel Adams and John Hancock (first signer of the Declaration of Independence) of the approaching British soldiers. Dr. Josephy Warren of Boston sent the two riders to Lexington, fearing that the British might capture Adams and Hancock. Revere and Dawes arrived seperately at the house around midnight, and then rode on to Concord to warn the remainder of the inhabitants.

Two historical objects of great importance are housed in the Hancock-Clarke House: the drum William Diamond used to rally the militia on the morning of April 19, 1775 and Major Pitcairn' pistoles. Major Pitcairn was in charge of the British soldiers at the Battle of Lexington and lost his matching pistols when his horse was shot out from under him. Patriot, Israel Putnam, carried the two pistoles with him throughout the Revolutinary War.