What was the significance of the Boston Massacre?

The Boston Massacre was a very significant event. On March 5, 1770, British soldiers fired into a crowd gathered outside of the Custom house in Boston. After the shooting stopped, five colonists were dead.

This event was significant for a number of reasons. First, it had shown how the relationship between the British and colonists had deteriorated, especially in Massachusetts. Once blood was shed, for some people this changed the course of the struggle. Prior to this event, the colonists and the British had their differences, but nobody was killed over these differences. That now changed.

A second reason why this was significant is that the British repealed all of the Townshend Acts taxes except for the tax on tea. To some people, keeping the tax on tea was seen as a way for the British to let the colonists know the British were still in charge. While people were glad most of the Townshend Acts taxes were removed, people were still concerned about where events might be headed. The Committees of Correspondence also reorganized and became more active after the Boston Massacre occurred.

As events would unfold, the situation deteriorated further over the years. Eventually, the Revolutionary War began.