the boston massacre
During the late 1760s and early 1770s, a group who called themselves the “patriots” had begun to form. This group believed that they were being suppressed by the British, and needed to speak up. Later, they began to support the idea of republicanism in the colonies. The patriots disliked the British soldiers who occupied the city of Boston, and felt as if their privacy was being invaded.
On March 5, 1770, a group of patriots began to verbally harass the British soldiers standing guard outside. Then, the approximately 50 colonists in the mob started to throw snowballs, stones, and sticks at the soldiers as an act of outrage against England and its government. The soldiers did not fire at first, but the captain of the sentinel sent for backup. When those soldiers were also attacked, the Redcoats fired into the crowd, killing 3 patriots and wounding 8 others, two of whom later died from the injuries.
This resulted in a town meeting pertaining to the removal of the British soldiers from Boston, and a trial for murder of the soldiers involved. However, during the trial, some colonists defended the Redcoats, including John Adams, which caused the soldiers to be released without a death sentence. Though the accused murderers walked free, the British government did remove all of the Redcoats from Boston, but the colonists were still enraged by the event.
On March 5, 1770, a group of patriots began to verbally harass the British soldiers standing guard outside. Then, the approximately 50 colonists in the mob started to throw snowballs, stones, and sticks at the soldiers as an act of outrage against England and its government. The soldiers did not fire at first, but the captain of the sentinel sent for backup. When those soldiers were also attacked, the Redcoats fired into the crowd, killing 3 patriots and wounding 8 others, two of whom later died from the injuries.
This resulted in a town meeting pertaining to the removal of the British soldiers from Boston, and a trial for murder of the soldiers involved. However, during the trial, some colonists defended the Redcoats, including John Adams, which caused the soldiers to be released without a death sentence. Though the accused murderers walked free, the British government did remove all of the Redcoats from Boston, but the colonists were still enraged by the event.