Patriot's Day

Patriot's Day is celebrated on the third Monday in April. It commemorates the Battle of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. The Revolutionary War began there on April 19, 1775 and ended in Yorktown on October 19, 1781 when Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington. A formal treaty ending the war was not signed until 1783.

On the evening of April 18, 1775 General Thomas Gage, the British Commander in Chief of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was ordered to bring the colonies under control. He ordered Lt. Col. Francis Smith to destroy Colonist's war supplies held in Concord. Smith was also instructed to take Samuel Adams and John Hancock into British custody. Smith's orders were to be carried out in secret. However, Joseph Warren, a doctor, learned of the plans and sent William Dawes and Paul Revere to warn the Patriots.

Paul Revere rode 16 miles from Olde North Church in Boston to Lexington. The British arrived in Lexington in the early dawn of April 19, 1775. It was there that the Patriots or 'Minutemen' and British confronted each other on the green and 
"the shot heard round the world"
 was fired. 
It is not known who fired the first shot.

Holiday Puzzles

Poetry:
 Majesty

 The Little Tin Soldier

 Majesty

  Little War Witches

 The Lantern

  Tin and Bone

 War Witch I 

Puzzles for the Little Tin Soldier
 The Little Tin Soldier Poem Activities