
On This Day… The Boston Massacre!
Written by: George Chittenden : 07 Jul 2019
It was on this day, 5th March, back in 1770 when the Boston Massacre happened. It started when a small mob started verbally abusing and throwing snowballs at a lone British sentry. The situation escalated when eight British soldiers went to the sentry’s aid and after being abused themselves let loose a volley of shots at the mob.
In total five people were killed, three died immediately and two died later of their wounds. The situation added to the tense relations that already existed between the crown-appointed British soldiers enforcing unpopular Parliamentary legislation and the local population.
The soldiers had been issued no orders to fire on the crowd, so an inquiry was carried out which resulted in six of the soldiers being acquitted of murder, and the other two being convicted of manslaughter and given reduced sentences. The Boston Massacre helped to spur the colonial public towards the Patriot cause.
Search
By Era
To 5000 BCE 5000 - 2000 BCE 2000 BCE - 0 0 - 400 CE 400 - 800 CE 800 - 1100 CE 1100 - 1500 CE 1500 - 1700 CE 18th Century 19th Century 1900's 1910's 1920's 1930's 1940's 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000's 2010'sBy Topic
Royal British Roman North American Egyptian Nautical European Social WW1 Military Viking Asian African Australian South American Political Celebrity WW2 ReligionWe promote history by...
offering free articles and videos, providing free history experiences for children in schools and on weekends. Next year we will be visiting hospitals and providing unforgettable experiences to children who really need it and give them a chance to forget their condition, their treatment and their reality.
Please join others who support our free projects by giving a small donation. We can only continue our great work with your help.