An engraving by Paul Revere of the Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre, known as the Incident on King Street by the British, occurred on March 5, 1770, when British Army soldiers killed five male civilians and injured six others. The attack was heavily propagandized by leading Patriots, such as Paul Revere and Samuel Adams, to fuel animosity toward the British authorities. British troops had been stationed in Boston to protect and support crown-appointed colonial officials attempting to enforce unpopular Parliamentary legislation. Amid ongoing tense relations between the population and the soldiers, a mob formed around a British sentry, who was subjected to verbal abuse and harassment. Eight soldiers came to his aid and, without orders, fired into the crowd. The Boston Massacre was one of many events that eventually triggered the American Revolution.