Boston Common is the oldest public park in United States history and is the beginning of the Freedom Trail. The history of Boston Common dates back to 1634 which is when the area was assigned as a public patch of land.
The "Common" has been used for many different purposes throughout its long history. Until 1830, cattle grazed the Common, and until 1817, public hangings took place here. British troops camped on Boston Common prior to the Revolution and left from here to face colonial resistance at Lexington and Concord in April, 1775.
Celebrities, including Martin Luther King Jr., Pope John Paul II, and Gloria Steinem (advocate of the feminist revolution), have given speeches at the Common.