The Boston Massacre began as a minor altercation between British soldiers and local colonists that escalated into violence. A British soldier struck a boy with his musket, angering locals who began throwing objects at the soldiers. As tensions mounted, the soldiers fired into the crowd, killing five colonists including Crispus Attucks, believed to be the first person killed. The trial of the soldiers further inflamed tensions and helped spark the American Revolutionary War.

1. Boston Massacre Prelude to a Revolution