Which event is generally considered the spark that ignited the American Revolutionary War?

The event widely recognized as the spark that ignited the American Revolutionary War is the Shot Heard 'Round the World. This phrase refers to the initial gunfire that occurred on April 19, 1775, at the Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. This confrontation marked the first military engagements between the British troops and colonial militias, signaling the beginning of open conflict and rebellion against British rule.

The significance of this event lies not only in its immediate impact, but also in how it galvanized colonial opposition to British authority. The phrase captures the notion that this moment propelled the colonies into a full-scale war for independence, with reverberations felt both in America and throughout Europe. It served as a powerful rallying point, inspiring colonists to join the fight for their rights and freedoms.

In contrast to the other events listed, while the Boston Tea Party was a significant act of defiance against British taxation and the Intolerable Acts initiated severe punitive measures that united the colonies against Britain, neither directly incited armed conflict in the way that the battles at Lexington and Concord did. The signing of the Declaration of Independence, while a crucial milestone in the revolutionary narrative, occurred after the war had begun, and therefore cannot be considered the initial spark for the