Final answer:
Spies and informants were crucial in providing early warnings about British plans to seize munitions and capture rebellion leaders, allowing Samuel Adams and John Hancock to escape and the militia to relocate their stores and prepare for the incoming British forces.
Step-by-step explanation:
Role of Spies Before the Lexington and Concord Battles
Before the battles of Lexington and Concord, spies and informants played a critical role in alerting the American colonists about the British intentions.
Information they gathered indicated that General Gage intended to seize munitions and arrest leaders of the rebellion, like Samuel Adams and John Hancock.
Thanks to the intelligence obtained by these sources, Adams and Hancock were able to elude capture by leaving Boston and the militia were able to relocate their stores from Concord to safer locations.
Moreover, Paul Revere and William Dawes famously spread the word of British troop movements, allowing the local militias to organize in advance of the British arrival, which greatly diminished the element of surprise that the British had hoped to utilize.