Changes

===Colonial era===

===Colonial era===

In the years of 1774 and 1775, several incidents happened to give the colonists a fear that the British would take their guns away.  In September 1774, the [[Powder Alarm]] was a response to the removal of gunpowder from a magazine located in Somerville, Massachusetts.<ref>[https://www.massar.org/2014/12/07/building-to-a-revolution-the-powder-alarm-and-popular-mobilization-of-the-new-england-countryside-1774-1775/ The Powder Alarm and Mobilization of the New England Countryside, 1774-1775]</ref>  In October 1774, the king passed an order in arms edict<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=8hgUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA584 Pennsylvania Archives], full text - "An Act to impower His Majesty to prohibit the Exportation of Saltpetre, & to enforce the Law for impowering His Majesty to prohibit the Exportation of Gunpowder or any sort of Arms & Ammunition"</ref> forbidding the export of arms or ammo to the colonies.  Word of this embargo quickly spread, and shortly after learning of it Patriots in New Hampshire raided the Fort William and Mary, removing all gunpowder and arms before any could be confiscated.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/captureoffortwil00pars The capture of Fort William and Mary], by Charles Lathrop Parsons</ref>  In 1775, [[Patrick Henry]] led a militia force after the [[Gunpowder Incident]] in Williamsburg, Virginia.<ref>[https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-gunpowder-incident This Day in History: The Gunpowder Incident nearly incites rebellion in Virginia]</ref>

In the years of 1774 and 1775, several incidents happened to give the colonists a fear that the British would take their guns away.  In September 1774, the [[Powder Alarm]] was a response to the removal of gunpowder from a magazine located in Somerville, Massachusetts.<ref>[https://www.massar.org/2014/12/07/building-to-a-revolution-the-powder-alarm-and-popular-mobilization-of-the-new-england-countryside-1774-1775/ The Powder Alarm and Mobilization of the New England Countryside, 1774-1775]</ref>  In October 1774, the king passed an order in arms edict<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=8hgUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA584 Pennsylvania Archives], 1853, full text - "An Act to impower His Majesty to prohibit the Exportation of Saltpetre, & to enforce the Law for impowering His Majesty to prohibit the Exportation of Gunpowder or any sort of Arms & Ammunition"</ref> forbidding the export of arms or ammo to the colonies.  Word of this embargo quickly spread, and shortly after learning of it Patriots in New Hampshire raided the Fort William and Mary, removing all gunpowder and arms before any could be confiscated.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/captureoffortwil00pars The capture of Fort William and Mary], by Charles Lathrop Parsons</ref>  In 1775, [[Patrick Henry]] led a militia force after the [[Gunpowder Incident]] in Williamsburg, Virginia.<ref>[https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-gunpowder-incident This Day in History: The Gunpowder Incident nearly incites rebellion in Virginia]</ref>

Shortly after the famed ride of [[Paul Revere]], it was learned that General Gage gave orders to Colonel Smith to destroy all arms and ammunition and related items for defense use:

Shortly after the famed ride of [[Paul Revere]], it was learned that General Gage gave orders to Colonel Smith to destroy all arms and ammunition and related items for defense use: