The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occurred on March 5, 1770, between a "patriot" mob, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squad of British soldiers. Several colonists were killed and this led to a campaign by speech-writers to rouse the ire of the citizenry.
A town meeting.
A town meeting was called demanding the removal of the British and the trial of Captain Preston and his men for murder. At the trial, John Adams and Josiah Quincy II defended the British, leading their release.
The presence of British troops was increasingly unwelcome.
The riot began when about 50 citizens attacked a British sentinel. A brutish, British officer, Captain Thomas Preston, called in more soldiers, and these were also attacked, so this led the soldiers to fire into the mob, killing 3 on the spot. (Crispus Attucks, a black sailor and rope maker Samuel Gray, and a mariner named James Caldwell), and wounding 8 others, two of whom died later (Samuel Maverick and Patrick Carr).
What is the Boston Massacre?
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 rebellion throughout the colonies.
Images for the Boston Massacre.
A town meeting held fro the removal of the British.