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Crispus Attucks is born.
Crispus Attucks was born into slavery in Framingham, Massachusetts in 1723. The exact date of his birth is unknown. His father, Prince, was brought to the colonies as a slave from Africa. His mother, Nancy, was a member of the Natick Indian Tribe. Crispus had an older sister named Phoebe. The family's master was Colonel Buckminster. -
Crispus dreams of being free.
When Crispus was in his early teens, he didn't like the idea of being owned. He dreamed of being a sailor. His master didn't have any ships, but then he was sold to a new master, William Brown, and was moved to Boston near the shipping docks. -
Crispus Attucks plans his freedom.
Crispus used to watch the whaling ships returning to Boston Harbor. One day he got an idea. That night, while his master was away, Crispus slipped away to go and talk to the captain of one of the whaling ships. He ends up working on the whaling ships for 20 years. -
Crispus' master discovers that he has run away.
William Brown places an announcement in the Boston Gazette to try to find Crispus. Meanwhile, Crispus was working on whaling ships. The Captains loved his hard work and courage. However, Crispus missed his family. Sometimes he visited them in secret and luckily he was not caught. -
Tough times for the colonies.
King George of England sent British soldiers to tax the colonists. Meanwhile, Crispus continued to work on the whaling ships. He often heard about the trouble between the soldiers and the colonists. Crispus understood the need for independence. He wanted to help the colonists but he was afraid of being captured and brought back into slavery. -
The Boston Massacre.
A colonist had done some work for a British soldier, but the soldier did not pay him. The news of this injustice spread quickly and colonists gathered in the street. They yelled and threw snowballs at the British soldiers. The soldiers fought back, hitting colonists with sticks and the tips of their guns. Crispus was in the crowd of colonists. He did not care about the color of their skin. Freedom was more important to him. -
Crispus is killed.
A big fight broke out on King Street in front of the Customs House. Crispus ran up to one of the soldiers and tried to grab his gun. A soldier shot and killed him. Four other colonists were also killed that night. Crispus Attucks' death inspired other colonists to fight for freedom. -
What if Crispus was not killed at the Boston Massacre.
If Crispus was not killed, the Revolutionary War might not have happened when it did. If Crispus had lived he probably would have gotten married. The anniversary of the Boston Massacre is reenacted each year in Boston to pay tribute to the people who lost their lives; this year was the 242nd anniversary.
