Beginning of Civil War Timeline
On March 5, 1770 the Boston Massacre occurred. A mob of colonists had assembled at the Custom House. Many of them began shouting and throwing things at the soldiers. The soldiers began to fire on the colonists without the order from Captain Preston, and five of the colonists were shot and killed. There was a trial several months later, where Captain Preston was legally represented by John Adams. Captain Preston was acquitted. Six of the eight soldiers under trial were acquitted. Two soldiers were convicted of man slaughter, but they pleaded clergy and only received a brand on their hands. The Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773 is when many of the colonists threw the tea aboard the Dartmouth into the Boston Harbor. The colonists would not allow the tea to be unloaded onto Boston ground, but the governor wouldn’t allow the ship to leave without unloading the tea. The only plausible solution the colonists could find was to dress up as Mohawk Indians and dump the tea overboard, so that’s what they did. The Administration of Justice Act and the Massachusetts Government Act were enacted on May 20, 1974. The Administration of Justice Act pretty much allowed British soldiers to do as they please in the American colonies. The Act stated that the British soldiers would no longer be tried in America for their crimes under colonial law, instead they would be taken to Britain to be tried. The Massachusetts Government Act took away the people’s rights to meet and decide things for themselves. This Act put the governor in charge of the town meetings. This meant he could control what was said and disband the meetings if he so desired. On June 1, 1774 the Boston Port Bill was enacted. The Boston Port Bill closed the Boston Harbor to all ships except the British. After this happened many of the citizens left Boston. The First Continental Congress convened on September fifth and lasted until October twenty-sixth. A few delegates were selected by each colony except