Incident on King Street.
The Boston Massacre, known as the Incident on King Street by the British, was an incident on March 5, 1770, in which British Army soldiers killed 5 male civilians and injured six others. The incident was heavily PROPAGANDIZED by leading Patriots; Paul Revere and Samuel Adams, to propane hatred toward British authorities. British troops had been stationed in Boston, capital of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, since 1768 in order to protect and support crown-appointed colonial officials attempting to enforce unpopular legislation. A few moments later a mob formed around a British sentry, who was subjected to verbal abuse. He was then supported by eight additional soldiers, who were victims to verbal threats and thrown objects. They fired into the crowd, without orders, instantly killing three people and wounding others. Two more people died later of wounds sustained in the incident. Acting Governor Thomas Hutchinson immediately began investing the affair, and by morning, Preston and the eight soldiers had been arrested. In a meeting of the governor's council held late morning after the shootings, Boston's selectmen asked Hutchinson to order the removal of troops from the city to Castle Williams.
In the days and weeks following the incident, a propaganda battle was waged between Boston's radicals and supporters of the government. Both sides published pamphlets that told strikingly different stories, which were principally published in London in a bid to influence opinion there. |
In Conclusion, The Boston Massacre is one of the most important events that turned colonial sentiment against King George III and British acts and taxes. Each of these events followed a pattern of Britain asserting its control, and colonists under increase regulation. While it took five years from the Massacre to outright revolution, it foreshadowed the violent rebellion to come. It also demonstrated how British authority awaken colonial opposition and protest.