1.The colonists who were against the British began calling themselves "Patriots". in the town of Concord. He had also heard that John Hancock and Samuel Adams, two leaders of the Sons of Liberty, were in Lexington. General Gage sent 700 British soldiers to find the weapons and arrest the two Patriot leaders.
2.Because if they showed up earlier they could have won because they might not have been surrounded, the people wouldn't have been ready for them.