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“Upon the Firing of the Field Pieces, the Peoples Fire was for a while silenced, but as they still continued to encrease greatly in Numbers, they fired again as before.... and continued so doing for the Space of Fifteen Miles.”

—General Thomas Gage on the events of 19 April 1775, Broadside, 1775

“Upon the Firing of the Field Pieces”

This small cannon ball is said to have been found on the side of the road near Lexington, Mass., after the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775. It is made of lead and was the type of projectile fired from a smoothbore cannon.


Cannons, or field pieces, were not reportedly used during the battle on Lexington Green on the morning of 19 April 1775. The cannonball might have been fired later that day, after the British soldiers fought the colonists in Concord and then passed through Lexington again, on their way back to Boston.


See the cannonball up close.

MHS News

Object of History Podcast Relics, Part 2: One of a Kind, Now Available


The Object of History podcast Season 3, Episode 6, Relics, Part 2: One of a Kind continues the conversation with Prof. Matthew Dennis from Part 1. Dennis speaks about natural specimens such as a Blackburnian warbler, and objects associated with historical figures, including George Washington’s military epaulettes.


Listen to the episode

Upcoming Events

TEACHER EVENT

Tuesday, 16 April | 10:00–11:30 AM

K–12 Teacher Open House


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MEMBER WEEK

Tuesday, 30 April | 3:30 PM

History Source Virtual Tour


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MEMBER WEEK

Tuesday, 30 April | 5:30 PM

Signed, Sealed, Delivered


Daniel Bottino, PhD Candidate, Rutgers University.


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Wednesday, 1 May, 1:00 PM: Among the Adams Papers with Hobson Woodward, Series Editor, Adams Family Correspondence, The Adams Papers. This is a Member Week event.


Thursday, 2 May, 1:00 PM: Treasures Tour with Peter Drummey, Chief Historian & Stephen T. Riley Librarian. This is a Member Week event.


Thursday, 2 May, 5:00 PM: Telling the Untold Stories for Children: Biographies for Kids & Why They Matter with children’s authors Heather Lang, Ray Anthony Shepard, and Mia Wenjen, moderated by Julie Dobrow, Tufts University. This is a seminar.


Friday, 3 May, 1:00 PM: Behind the Scenes of Conservation with Samantha Couture, Nora Saltonstall Conservator & Preservation Librarian. This is a Member Week event.


Saturday, 4 May, 10:00 AM: Introduction to the Library, with MHS Reference Librarians. This is a Member Week event.


Saturday, 4 May, 2:00 PM: Ye Olde Tavern Tour Sponsored by the Young Patrons of the MHS with Brooke Barbier, Public Historian. This is a Member Week event.


Monday, 6 May, 6:00 PM: Democracy Awakening: A Conversation with Heather Cox Richardson with Heather Cox Richardson, in conversation with Catherine Allgor, MHS President. MHS Members receive priority registration through 15 April. This is a program.


Tuesday, 7 May, 5:00 PM: Taverns, Entrepreneurial Networking, Self-Improvement & Urban Tendencies in the Early Republican Northeast with Kirsten E. Wood, Florida International University, with comment by Richard D. Brown, University of Connecticut. This is a seminar.


Friday, 10 May, 2:00 PM: The Adams Papers: Leaving a Legacy with Sara Martin, Editor in Chief, The Adams Papers. This is a special Visionary Circle Member event.


See full calendar. Explore Member Week events.

MEMBER WEEK

From 29 April through 6 May, MHS Members and Fellows are invited to join us for a week of programs, events, and perks. Explore the Member Week calendar. Not yet a Member? Learn more and join today at www.masshist.org/support/mhsfund.

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2024 Making History Gala


Join us for an unforgettable evening on 6 June 2024, with featured speaker Doris Kearns Goodwin at the iconic Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston. Visit www.masshist.org/gala to purchase tickets.  

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Our Members make it possible for us to offer an array of complimentary services including admission to our exhibition galleries and library, online access to our collections and digital editions, and onsite and remote reference services for all. Membership begins with a fully tax-deductible contribution of $250 or more to the MHS Fund. All Members enjoy a full year of social, cultural, and educational experiences, including invitations to our annual Holiday Party, FREE program registration, and Member Week perks. Learn more and join today!
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