Possibly one of the key events in history that occurred during the pre-revolutionary colonies would have to be the Boston Massacre. This was resulted from tensions between British soldiers and the citizens of Boston. The people disliked having the soldiers there, causing high tensions. There was definite competition in the tight job market between the soldiers and the colonists due to the poor pay the soldiers received. The apprehension finally gave way and at dusk on March 5th, 1770, five colonists were shot dead in a quarrel soon to be given the name "The Boston Massacre." .
On March 5th, a crowd of colonists milled around the Customs office in Boston due to the fact that the Townshend Acts were being repealed in England. But as the British soldiers lined up to "do their duty," rocks, snowballs, sticks and threats violently filled the air. It was unclear how, but a young boy fell, creating outrage in the crowd. Then shots were fired and five men had fallen either dead or mortally wounded. .
Although the British never really did anything to cause American outrage towards them, there was initial animosity because there was a lingering idea that the British were not there to keep peace, but to take away American freedom. This even was used to the American's advantage by patriots. They used it to awake the public and to show them how cruel the British Government can be. By insinuating that all troops stationed acted as the ones in Boston did, Americans gained citizens from not only the colonies, but worldwide. The deaths of these five men did not prove costly for their own country, but for the opposing. The British hardly saw this as a massacre, but as propaganda against the British. Either way, the Americans won that day, as the British troops had to retreat, and it was one-step closer to American freedom.