Boston Massacre
Storyboard Text
- The Boston Massacre
- The Soldiers
- The Colonists and Soldiers
- The colonists were still angry that the British soldiers were living in their towns and cities. They thought the soldiers were rowdy and rude.
- Standing Guard
- The soldiers weren't happy, either. They were far from their homes. Not getting along with the colonists only made their job more difficult.
- Angry Soldiers and Colonists
- The relationship between the soldiers and the colonists became worse. Things were especially tense in the city of Boston. The colonists showed their hatred for the soldiers by making fun of their red coats. They called them names like "lobsterback." Soldiers went out of their way to bother local citizens.
- What happened next
- On March 5, 1770, the bad feelings in Boston erupted in violence. It was a bitterly cold night, and a soldier was standing guard in front of the Customs house. Sometime before nine o' clock, a crowd began to gather. People in the crowd called the soldier names. Some of them threw snowballs and stones.
- Captain Thomas Preston and seven other soldiers hurried to the guard's side. Loading their muskets and stood in front of the angry crowd. The crowd taunted the soldiers. More snowballs and chunks of ice were thrown.
- Captain Thomas Preston told the soldiers not to fire their guns. But one soldier said that he heard the command "Fire!" and so he shot his gun into the crowd. When the crowd moved toward them, the soldiers panicked and fired. Within moments, six people lay dead.
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