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April 19, 1775 Musket Balls Discovered Near North Bridge
National Park Service archeologists working at Minute Man National Historical Park recently discovered five musket balls that were fired during the world-changing event known as “The Shot Heard Round the World” on April 19, 1775.
Early analysis of the 18th-century musket balls indicates they were fired by colonial militia members at British forces during the North Bridge fight. The North Bridge battle site in Concord, Massachusetts, is a key location within Minute Man NHP and marks the moment when provincial militia leaders ordered members to fire upon their own government’s soldiers for the first time. The event was later termed “The Shot Heard Round the World” by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his 1837 Concord Hymn because it immediately escalated an already boiling conflict between colonial rebels and British forces.
“It’s incredible that we can stand here and hold what amounts to just a few seconds of history that changed the world almost 250 years ago,” said Minute Man Park Ranger and historic weapons specialist Jarrad Fuoss. “These musket balls can be considered collectively as ‘The Shot Heard Round the World,’ and it is incredible that they have survived this long. It is also a poignant reminder that we are all stewards of this battlefield and are here to preserve and protect our shared history.”
To read the full press release and learn more about the history of "The Shot Heard Round the World," please click on the button below.
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