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Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre happened when British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists in Boston, killing five people. Tensions had been high due to the presence of British troops and growing anger over taxes. The event shocked many colonists and was used by leaders like Paul Revere and Samuel Adams to stir up anger against Britain. -
Propaganda and Public Reaction
After the Boston Massacre, colonial leaders used newspapers and images to shape public opinion. One famous image was Paul Revere’s engraving. It showed British soldiers shooting at peaceful colonists. Though not completely true, it made people angry. Groups called Committees of Correspondence helped spread the story to other colonies. This made colonists more united and ready to resist British rule. -
Trial of the British Soldiers
The British soldiers from the massacre were put on trial. John Adams, who later became president, defended them. He said everyone deserved a fair trial. Six soldiers were found not guilty. Two were found guilty of manslaughter and lightly punished. The trial helped calm people for a short time. Still, many colonists felt justice was not done. The event left people angry at British power. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act was passed to help the British East India Company. It let them sell tea straight to the colonies at a low price. But it still had a tax. Colonists saw it as a trick to make them accept unfair taxes. Even though the tea cost less, many people were upset. Protests began again in many places. -
Boston Tea Party
To protest the Tea Act, colonists dressed as Mohawk Indians and boarded British ships. They dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. The group was led by the Sons of Liberty. This event, called the Boston Tea Party, was a clear challenge to British rule. It shocked leaders in Britain. They wanted to punish the colonists for it. -
Intolerable Acts
Britain responded to the Tea Party with harsh new laws. These were called the Coercive Acts, or the Intolerable Acts by the colonists. They closed Boston Harbor. They also took away local government in Massachusetts. One law made colonists let soldiers stay in their homes. Instead of stopping resistance, these laws made colonists more united. Many believed all colonies were now under threat. -
First Continental Congress
Twelve colonies sent leaders to Philadelphia. They met at the First Continental Congress to plan a response to the new laws. They decided to boycott British goods. They also sent a letter to the king asking him to cancel the laws. The colonies still hoped for peace. But this meeting brought them closer to working as one group. -
Suffolk Resolves
Colonial leaders passed the Suffolk Resolves. These said the Intolerable Acts were unfair and should not be followed. They told people to form militias and get ready to fight if needed. This showed that many colonists were now willing to stand up to British power. -
Militias
In early 1775, things grew more tense. Colonists in places like Massachusetts began forming militias. These were small armies made of local men. They trained and gathered weapons. The British sent more troops to the area. Both sides prepared for a possible fight. -
Lexington and Concord
British soldiers marched to Concord to take weapons from the colonists. They were stopped in Lexington by armed colonists. Shots were fired. No one knows who shot first. The soldiers moved on to Concord, where more fighting happened. On their way back to Boston, more colonists attacked them. These were the first battles of the American Revolutionary War.