Final answer:
Many colonists expected fighting with Britain to begin in the surroundings of Boston, particularly at Lexington and Concord, due to heightened tensions from British-imposed policies. The first skirmishes of the Revolutionary War occurred there when the British attempted to confiscate colonial weapons.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many colonists believed that fighting with Britain would begin in areas where tensions were high due to political and economic disagreements. This included locations around Boston and Massachusetts Bay, where the British had imposed various restrictions and taxes that angered the colonists. As a prelude to the American Revolution, the first engagement, widely expected by the colonial militias, occurred at Lexington and Concord in April 1775. These skirmishes were precipitated by British moves to seize colonial munitions and were the spark that ignited full-scale conflict between Great Britain and the American colonies.
The anticipation of conflict arose after several years of growing discontent and escalating disputes following the French and Indian War. With the British government implementing policies to raise revenues from the colonies, tensions increased. The presence of colonial militia, the Minutemen, ready to respond at a moment's notice, indicated a widespread expectation of a military clash. The British military, under General Thomas Gage, aimed to quell growing dissent by seizing arms stored by American revolutionaries, which led to the battles at Lexington and Concord, thereby starting the Revolutionary War.