1770 March 5th. Boston Massacre

Boston Massacre
Part of the American Revolution
This famous depiction of the event was engraved byPaul Revere (copied from an engraving by Henry Pelham), colored by Christian Remick, and printed byBenjamin Edes. The Old State House is depicted in the background.
Location	Boston, Massachusetts, British America (now State Street, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.)
Coordinates	42°21′32″N 71°03′25″W
Date	March 5, 1770
Deaths	5
Non-fatal injuries	6
Assailants	British Army infantrymen

The Boston Massacre, known as theIncident on King Street by the British, was an incident on March 5, 1770, in which British Army soldiers killed five male civilians and injured six others. The incident was heavily propagandized by leading patriots, such as Paul Revere and Sam Adams to fuel animosity toward the British authorities. British troops had been stationed in Boston, capital of theProvince of Massachusetts Bay, since 1768 in order to protect and support crown-appointed colonial officials attempting to enforce unpopular Parliamentary legislation. Amid ongoing tense relations between the population and the soldiers, a mob formed around a British sentry, who was subjected to verbal abuse and harassment. He was eventually supported by eight additional soldiers, who were subjected to verbal threats and thrown objects. They fired into the crowd, without orders, instantly killing three people and wounding others. Two more people died later of wounds sustained in the incident.

The crowd eventually dispersed after Acting Governor Thomas Hutchinson promised an inquiry, but reformed the next day, prompting the withdrawal of the troops to Castle Island. Eight soldiers, one officer, and four civilians were arrested and charged with murder. Defended by the lawyer and future American president, John Adams, six of the soldiers wereacquitted, while the other two were convicted of manslaughter and given reduced sentences. The men found guilty of manslaughter were sentenced to branding on their hand. Depictions, reports, and propaganda about the event, notably the colored engraving produced by Paul Revere (shown at right), further heightened tensions throughout theThirteen Colonies.