In the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War, fighting began at Lexington and Concord when British troops marched out of Boston for which main purpose?

Introduction / Context:
The battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775 are often described as the opening shots of the American Revolutionary War. These clashes did not happen by accident; they were the result of British authorities attempting to assert control and colonial Patriots resisting. Many exam questions ask what the British troops were trying to do when fighting began, because the answer shows how attempts to disarm colonists and arrest leaders helped turn political tension into open war.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question focuses on why British troops marched from Boston to Lexington and Concord.
• We are looking for the main purpose of this expedition.
• Options mention seizing weapons and arresting leaders, holding peace talks, fleeing from French forces and escorting the king.
• We assume knowledge that colonial militias had been stockpiling arms and that British authorities were concerned about rebellion.

Concept / Approach:
Governor Thomas Gage ordered British troops to march to Concord to seize military supplies stored by colonial militias and to arrest Patriot leaders if possible. The colonists had prepared alarm systems, and riders such as Paul Revere spread the warning. Local militia gathered at Lexington and later at Concord to confront the British. When shots were fired at Lexington, and later when colonists fought at Concord and along the road back to Boston, the situation turned into armed conflict. Thus, the correct explanation is that the British were trying to seize weapons and arrest leaders, which triggered resistance.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that tensions between Britain and its American colonies had been rising over taxes and control.Step 2: Remember that colonists formed militias and began storing weapons and gunpowder away from British control.Step 3: Understand that British officials wanted to prevent rebellion by seizing these supplies and capturing key Patriot figures.Step 4: Examine the options and find the one that states the troops marched to seize weapons and arrest leaders.Step 5: Reject options about peace ceremonies, French attacks and royal goodwill tours, none of which match historical accounts.Step 6: Choose the seizure and arrest explanation as the one that directly led to fighting at Lexington and Concord.

Verification / Alternative check:
History texts and popular accounts of the Revolution consistently describe the British mission as a raid on Concord to destroy arms and arrest Patriots. Phrases like the shot heard round the world are linked to the confrontation between the advancing British troops and the prepared colonial militia. There is no evidence that the mission involved negotiating peace or escorting the king, and the French were not yet fighting alongside the colonists. This confirms that the seizure of weapons and arrest attempt explanation is accurate.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is wrong because the British were not marching to hold a peace ceremony; their orders were military, not diplomatic. Option C is incorrect because there was no French landing near Boston at that time, and the British were the ones moving out from a position of control, not fleeing. Option D is clearly wrong because the king did not visit the colonies at that stage, and the mission was not a goodwill tour.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may sometimes generalise from broader discussions about taxation and think that any march must have been for negotiation rather than military action. Another pitfall is to mix up later Franco American cooperation with the early phase of the war. To avoid these mistakes, focus on the idea that the British wanted to disarm the colonists and neutralise their leaders, which is what turned political dispute into armed rebellion.

Final Answer:
Fighting began at Lexington and Concord when British troops marched out of Boston to seize colonial weapons and arrest Patriot leaders, prompting armed resistance from local militia.