March 5, 1770Reputable sourceWell documented
The Boston Massacre
On the timeline · around March 5, 1770 ·
What happened
On March 5, 1770, British soldiers guarding the Boston customs house fired into a jeering, snowball-throwing crowd, killing five colonists — among them Crispus Attucks, a man of African and Native descent often called the first to die for the Revolution. Paul Revere's engraving of the scene spread the story as propaganda.
Why it matters
The 'Boston Massacre' became a rallying cry against British occupation, hardening colonial opinion. (Notably, John Adams defended the accused soldiers in court, insisting on a fair trial even amid the outrage.)
Sources
- HISTORY (A&E). Boston Massacre · Reputable source