What Does History Says?
Today, a circle of cobblestone marks the location of the Boston Massacre.
In 1763, Britain won the Seven Year's War against the French. Fighting this war cost the British a lot of money. To make this money back, the British government made taxes for the colonists. The colonists were very angry that these taxes raised the prices of goods they needed. They argued that the taxes were unfair because the colonists were not represented in the government. The chanted “No taxation without representation!”
On March 5, 1770, a crowd of colonists gathered outside the Customs House, where the taxes were collected. A soldier guarded it. The colonists wanted to show their dislike of the taxes. The colonists yelled at the guard.The soldier called for support and Captain Thomas Preston lead a group of thirteen soldiers to help him. The colonists threw snowballs stuffed with clamshells at the soldiers and dared them to fire their muskets.
Suddenly, one of the soldiers fired out into the crowd. The other soldiers followed. The place
became crazy. Three colonists died on the scene and two more died later because of injuries they received during the massacre. In total, five colonists died.
The Boston Massacre permanently hurt relations between the colonists wanting independence and the people who wanted to remain under British rule.
On March 5, 1770, a crowd of colonists gathered outside the Customs House, where the taxes were collected. A soldier guarded it. The colonists wanted to show their dislike of the taxes. The colonists yelled at the guard.The soldier called for support and Captain Thomas Preston lead a group of thirteen soldiers to help him. The colonists threw snowballs stuffed with clamshells at the soldiers and dared them to fire their muskets.
Suddenly, one of the soldiers fired out into the crowd. The other soldiers followed. The place
became crazy. Three colonists died on the scene and two more died later because of injuries they received during the massacre. In total, five colonists died.
The Boston Massacre permanently hurt relations between the colonists wanting independence and the people who wanted to remain under British rule.