How did the Boston patriots shape the public perceptions of the Boston Massacre? Historians use different sources in trying to unravel what really happened on the night of March 5, 1770, when British troops opened fire on a crowd in Boston, killing five and badly wounding six others. By reading and analyzing the eyewitness testimonies, orations, and images in this unit, you too will become a historian. The sources, written and visual, give this complicated event a narrative shape. What was the true meaning of the event? Whose interests were advanced by different versions of the event? By analyzing the sources in this unit, you will see the complicated nature of the story and the importance of skepticism in accepting received wisdom. On completion of this unit, you will also be able to answer the central question: Why did the Boston Massacre become such a pivotal event in the Revolution?