The Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, marked the unofficial beginning of the U.S. War of Independence. This confrontation between colonial militias and British troops is often referred to as "the shot heard 'round the world," symbolizing the start of open armed conflict between the Thirteen Colonies and Great Britain. The skirmishes highlighted the colonists' growing resentment against British authority and taxation without representation. These battles galvanized colonial unity and prompted the formation of a Continental Army led by George Washington, setting the stage for the Revolutionary War that would ultimately secure American independence.