Today in History: The Boston Massacre

On this day (March 5) in 1770, 5 Americans were killed by British soldiers in an incident that came to be known as the Boston Massacre. The incident began when Americans surrounded and verbally harassed a lone British soldier. As the crowd grew, eight other soldiers came to the assistance of the first soldier. They too were subject to harassment, but the crowd also began to throw snowballs and stones and to hit the soldiers with clubs. Without orders, the soldiers opened fire immediately killing three people. Two others died later from their wounds .The incident was played up by Americans such as Paul Revere and Samuel Adams to encourage rebellion against Britain.