MA, USA
Massachusetts Provincial Congress Meets
October 11, 1774
In October 1774, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress—an extralegal body formed after the British dissolved the colonial legislature—convened in Concord. This gathering of delegates from across the colony effectively became a shadow government, organizing resistance while maintaining a pretense of loyalty.
The Congress authorized the stockpiling of military supplies, the training of militia, and the creation of a network of minutemen ready to respond at a moment's notice. It was this Congress, meeting again in Concord and then Watertown, that transformed scattered colonial discontent into organized military capability.
Concord was chosen partly for its inland location, away from British-occupied Boston, and partly for the patriot sympathies of its residents. The town's role as a political center made it a natural target for British intelligence gathering—and ultimately for the April 19 expedition.
People Involved
Senior militia officer in Concord whose farm was the primary target of the British expedition. His family hid supplies overnight while he commanded militia at Punkatasset Hill.