Some of you probably might say, “What is the Boston Massacre, and what is it about?” Well, it is mainly about what the British soldiers did to a mob of American colonists who were threatening and provoking them with clubs, throwing sharp ice, oyster shells and other objects because the British were trying to enforce laws in Boston, Massachusetts, which the people did not believe to be lawful.

There was one man in the mob named Crispus Attucks who was an African American, and who was born a slave in Massachusetts. In 1750, when Crispus was still a boy, he ran away from slavery and became a sailor in Massachusetts. By 1770, he was living in Boston. Since Crispus did not want anyone to know that he was once a slave who ran away from slavery, he changed his name to be Michael Johnson.

Since the time of 1768, the British army was all over Boston. British soldiers obeying the orders of the bad king King George came to Boston to make sure that the King’s laws were enforced. Sailors and lots of other people had fights every day with the British officers. The people of Boston did not like the British.

On March 5th, 1770, Crispus Attucks and lots of other men carried clubs and began to harass and threaten the British officers. Because the soldiers were frightened, they opened fire on the mob and ended up killing Crispus and two others. Later, two other men died from gunshot wounds. The British officers who killed those men at the Boston Massacre were found not guilty after the trial.

A patriot named Paul Revere created a picture of the Boston Massacre that is a famous picture. One of the highlights of the picture was Crispus lying dead. Although this story and picture is a sad one, if it did not happen, people would not have been as inspired to start the American Revolution.

(If you want you and your kids to understand our history more, check out the series “Liberty’s Kids.” It is a fun way to give your kids a better understanding of history. It is a whole series about the American Revolution, the Boston Massacre, and many more historic things like that.)

Well, that is the story of how the American Revolution got a kick start. I hope you now have a better understanding of what the Boston Massacre is about.