Who: The Americans and British
What: Known as the Boston Massacre
Where: King Street, Boston, Massachusetts
When: March 5, 1770
Why: America didn’t want the British troops around
The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occurred on March 5th, 1770 between a mob of American patriots and British troops. The Patriots threw snowballs, stones, and sticks at the British. Five colonists were killed and this led to a campaign by speech-writers to rouse the angry of the public. The presence of British troops in the city of Boston was increasingly unwelcome. The riot began when about 50 citizens attacked a British lookout.
A British officer, Thomas Preston, had brought in additional soldiers these men were also attacked, so the soldiers fired into the mob, killing 3 on the spot. The men killed were a black sailor named Crispus Attucks, a rope maker Samuel Gray, and a mariner named James Caldwell, The riot also wounded 8 other men. Two of the men later died, they were Samuel Maverick and Patrick Carr.
A town meeting was called demanding the removal of the British and the trial of Captain Preston and his men for murder. They were later acquitted and release. Later, two of the British soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter.
The Boston Massacre was a signal event leading to the Revolutionary War. It led directly to the Royal Governor evacuating the occupying army from the town of Boston. It would soon bring the revolution to armed revolt throughout the colonies.
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