The Battles of Lexington and Concord<span>, fought on April 19, 1775, kicked off the American Revolutionary </span>War<span> (1775-83). Tensions had been building for many years between residents of the 13 American colonies and the British authorities, particularly in Massachusetts.</span>
On two levels, then, Washington Irving profoundly influenced the American Christmas. His melding of jolly St. Nick and an English commemoration of old into a wintry celebration of nostalgia attests to the rich cultural legacy bequeathed to us by this native New Yorker..
It was a mistake because he had retreated into a peninsula <span />
<span>Because they had threatened him.</span>
It helped colonists decide to become revolutionists and fight the British. It was common sense that the British needed to be driven from America.