England’s decision to tax the American colonies in 1765 led to widespread protests. So heated did the protests become that several regiments of the King’s Regular Army soldiers were stationed in Boston in 1768, raising tensions further. The Boston Massacre of 1770 was a conflict between townspeople of Boston and Regular Army troops.
Following the Boston Tea Party in 1773, normal colonial government was suspended by British Parliament. In response, colonists formed their own independent government — the Provincial Congress — meeting during 1774 in Cambridge and in Concord. The Congress advised Massachusetts towns to add special minute companies to their militia, ready to respond, armed, to alarms. The minute and militia companies together are referred to as Provincial troops.
Read an Account of The Boston Massacre as reported in The Boston Gazette and Country Journal in its edition of Monday, March 12, 1770.
Listen to Concord Museum Curator David Wood as he shares the story of a letter sent by Jonathan Hosmer from Concord nine days before his son was killed at the North Bridge.
Read Paul Revere’s narrative of his actions the night of April 18th and the morning of the 19th, from the Collection of Massachusetts Historical Society.