The keyword phrase functions as a compound noun, identifying a subject of comparison between two distinct historical holidays primarily observed in Massachusetts. Evacuation Day, a public holiday in Suffolk County on March 17, commemorates the 1776 withdrawal of British forces from Boston. Patriots' Day, a statewide holiday in Massachusetts and Maine on the third Monday in April, commemorates the 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the start of the American Revolutionary War.
The historical events behind each commemoration are fundamentally different. Evacuation Day celebrates the successful conclusion of the eleven-month Siege of Boston. This strategic victory was achieved after Continental Army troops, under General George Washington, fortified Dorchester Heights with cannons, making the British position in the city untenable and forcing their departure. In contrast, Patriots' Day marks the initial outbreak of armed conflict. It honors the skirmishes that occurred when British regulars marched from Boston to seize colonial military supplies in Concord, triggering the famous rides of Paul Revere and William Dawes and the "shot heard 'round the world" in Lexington.
In practice, these holidays possess unique cultural identities and geographical scopes. Evacuation Day's observance is limited to Suffolk County and its date coincides with St. Patrick's Day, leading to combined celebrations, particularly in Boston's heavily Irish-American neighborhoods. Patriots' Day is observed more broadly and is nationally recognized for its association with the Boston Marathon, an event that draws international attention. Therefore, while both holidays celebrate pivotal moments in the American Revolution that occurred in the same region, they are entirely separate events, marking the beginning of the war versus the war's first major American victory.
