The Boston Massacre Site...

The "Old State House" in Boston, MA. This is the location of an event that helped to change the views of the colonists toward the occupying British Regulars. On a very cold, snowy, and icy night of  March 5th 1770, a lone British sentry named Hugh White was standing his post at the State House. While the private stood watch, a young wigmaker's apprentive named Edward Garrick began to taunt the sentry about a debt that was owed to his master from a British officer quartered in the nearby barracks. Private White stood his ground, and after putting up with the continued abuse from the young apprentice, he struck the boy on the head with his musket.
Garrick immediately fell to the ground, and his cries attracted more Bostonians to arrive at the State House to see the cause of the alarm. Before long, a sizable crowed had formed, and began to assault Hugh White with snowballs, ice, sticks, and rocks. Soon, British Captain Thomas Preston was alerted to the occurrence. Immediate, he ran to the State House to try and defuse the situation that was occurring between his private and the crowd of colonists. The British officer also took with him six other soldiers from his 29th Regiment of Foote, to help subdue the crowd.
The rift  between the assembled mob and Captain Preston's men continued to escalated until one of the British soldiers (acting upon his own) fired a shot into the crowd. Hearing the musket shot, the remaining soldiers fired into the crowd as well (thinking it was ordered, although the command to fire was never issued).
When the smoke cleared, three colonists lay dead on the icy street. Samuel Gray, James Caldwell, and Cripus Attucks were instantly killed. A few hours later, Samuel Maverick died from his injuries, and the next day Patrick Carr succumbed to his wounds. In total, five colonists were killed that day in what later became known as the "Boston Massacre".


The Old State House - Site of the Boston Massacre.



The Exact Spot Where the Boston Massacre Occurred.

Paul Revere would create a (now famous) engraving showing British soldiers appearing to deliberately and callously open fire on the "innocent" crowd; all the while taking pleasure in their ghastly deed. Though this was a bit of an exageration on Revere's part, the engraving was turned into a broadside, and it was published throughout the colonies, further inciting the colonists to vow revenge on the "evil" redcoats, and join up with the patriotic cause against the crown.