Final answer:
The Boston Massacre in 1770 involved British troops firing on colonists, leading to the death of five people, including Crispus Attucks. It marked a significant escalation in the conflict between the British and the colonists, further fueling the move towards American independence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Boston Massacre of 1770
During the event known as the Boston Massacre in 1770, British troops fired on colonists for the first time, killing five. This confrontation occurred on March 5, 1770, when an angry mob began to harass British soldiers guarding the customs house in Boston. The crowd threw snowballs, rocks, and sticks at the soldiers, who, feeling threatened, eventually fired into the mob. Among the dead was Crispus Attucks, a man of Wampanoag and African descent, who became the first official casualty in the war for independence. The Boston Massacre was a critical incident that exemplified the growing hostility between the British and the colonists and contributed to the burgeoning resistance to British rule, laying the groundwork for the American Revolution.