WHEREAS, on April 19, 1775, the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord were marched upon by British regulars in an effort to confiscate the munitions stored there for the local militia; and

        WHEREAS, near the hour of 5 a.m., British troops numbering between six hundred and eight hundred men encountered seventy-five patriots under the command of Captain Parker at Lexington Green, where Captain Parker ordered, "Stand your ground! Don't fire unless fired upon; but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here;” and

        WHEREAS, the result was the "shot heard 'round the world” and by the day's end, the British troops had retreated from the field; and

        WHEREAS, the events of this day were the spark that ignited the passions of the colonial patriots resulting in the American Revolutionary War and the founding of a great nation; and

        WHEREAS, the states of Arkansas, Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, Tennessee and Wisconsin celebrate April 19th as Patriot's Day each year, and in Maine and New Jersey, Patriot's Day is the third Monday in April; and

        WHEREAS, Patriots Day is an opportunity to focus on the historic nature of our revolution and the sacrifices endured over the course of a great eight-year struggle leading to our independence celebrated on the Fourth of July.

        NOW, THEREFORE, I, C.L. “BUTCH” OTTER, Governor of the State of Idaho, do hereby proclaim April 19, 2007 to be

P A T R I O T S   D A Y

in Idaho.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at Boise, Idaho, on this 19^th day of April in the year of our Lord two-thousand and seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirty-first and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred seventeenth.       

BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE